Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!henry.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!hacgate!ashtate!dbase!awd
From: awd@dbase.UUCP (Alastair Dallas)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: Problem with LSC 4.0 debugger.
Summary: I'm drawing unnecessary fire here
Message-ID: <267@dbase.UUCP>
Date: 2 Oct 89 04:32:05 GMT
References: <85031@pyramid.pyramid.com> <244@dbase.UUCP> <1989Sep29.032130.24399@NCoast.ORG>
Distribution: na
Organization: Ashton Tate Devlopment Center Glendale, Calif.
Lines: 31


I'm taking all kinds of heat from this group for flaming the first
guy who posted that the THINK C debugger should display (and modify)
the automatic variables of caller's stack frames.  I was jerk--I thought
the fellow that made this request didn't understand scope of reference.

One peculiar phenomenon has been private e-hatemail.  When you post to
the net that this or that idea is stupid, let's face it, you're trying
to look smart to your peers.  Second, you're educating people, but my
point is that it's only human to criticize the ideas of others in 
public.  In private, one-on-one email, however, I don't understand the
desire for ad hominem attacks.  "Jane, you ignorant slut" is fine on
network t.v., but what's the point when you're mailing directly to Jane?

Now that I understand that most if not all of the people who want this
feature in the THINK C debugger do understand the concepts involved,
I'm satisfied that we have a difference of opinion, not of fact.  I
stand behind my statement that this feature is not high on my personal
wish list.  This mail follows up a posting by a well-meaning fellow
who describes 'sdb' and 'dbx'.  I use dbx at work, and I've played
with a windowing version on a Sun--it's very nice, and, yes, I'm
aware that dbx has the feature under debate.

It would be wonderful if THINK C could be everything to everyone;
I'd like a world without tradeoffs.  All I am adding to this debate
is my personal opinion that I'd sooner see some of the features
of cfront (c++) before I'd have Kahl et al implement dbx on a 
Mac Plus, ok?  Flame on me all you want in public, but please 
don't track me down where I live.  Thank you.

/alastair/