Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!henry From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: smart compilers Message-ID: <4747@utzoo.UUCP> Date: Fri, 7-Dec-84 19:48:29 EST Article-I.D.: utzoo.4747 Posted: Fri Dec 7 19:48:29 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 7-Dec-84 19:48:29 EST References: <783@enea.UUCP>, <479@sftig.UUCP> Organization: U of Toronto Zoology Lines: 14 > ... I prefer a compiler to do the expected -- what > I told it to do. These kinds of 'optimizations' can make programming a pain > in the neck. When it comes to programming, I prefer to be the one that makes > the mistakes ... The problem is that such "obviously wrong" optimizations as deleting entire loops completely may be a side effect of complex combinations of different optimizations, where each optimization in itself is eminently reasonable. The solution is not dumb compilers, but compilers that can be told what to do and what not to do. The addition of "volatile" to the ANSI C draft is a major example. -- Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry