Re: Re using BREAK in 'C'

Russell McMahon wrote:
> Both languages are annoying in the wrong hands - C because it allows
> users to do fatal things easily, Pascal because it makes it harder
> for experts to do some things well easily - or sloppily easily.
> Pascal leans towards nanny state and C towards libertine excess.

The original Pascal that was defined as a teaching language is indeed
annoying, even if you try to write responsible code.  This is why there are
Pascal variants.  Bare Pascal is essentially unusable as a real language.

The basic concepts of Pascal however are sound, as various implementations
have proven.  The most well known two are probably Borland and Apollo.  I
happen to be familiar with the Apollo variant, but have heard good things
about the Borland version too.  My version of Pascal is based on the Apollo
version.

Once you talk about one of the useful implementations of Pascal, your
argument no longer works.  Show me something that you think the language
should let you do as a expert but won't.

> Both languages are "bad" given the appropriate assumption set. For
> sensible everyday use it's harder to find an assumption set that
> makes C good :-). But it has its place, preferably in suitably expert
> hands.

Again, where's the advantage?  Experts understand the importance of code
readability and maintainence.  What exactly is it that such a expert want's
to do that Pascal won't allow?


********************************************************************
Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, http://www.embedinc.com/products
(978) 742-9014.  Gold level PIC consultants since 2000.
--
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist