Re: "C's Biggest Mistake"

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From	Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: "C's Biggest Mistake"
Date	Sat, 14 Apr 2018 12:51:17 -0700
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jameskuyper@verizon.net writes:
> On Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 12:34:50 PM UTC-4, Richard Damon wrote:
> ...
>> had to chose. My memory of K&R was that its wording, while not
>> definitive, leaned more to non-nesting, and I think that was more common
>> (the wording being basically that you start at the /* and ignore
>> everything until you stop at the next */, with no mention that the stuff
>> you are ignoring might include a nested comment.
>
> 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012
> K&R, 1st edition, Appendix A 2.1 "Comments" says "The characters /*
> introduce a comment, which terminates with the characters */. Comments
> do not nest."

The 1974 and 1975 C manuals both say:

    The characters /* introduce a comment, which terminates with
    the characters */.

which implies that they don't nest.  The B manual says:

    Comments are delimited as in PL/I by /* and */.

A PL/I grammar I found says:

    comments  = "/*" [ text ] "*/"

"text" is not defined, but presumably it can include "*/", which
again implies that comments do not nest.

The definition *could* have been changed at any time to allow
nesting, but it was never considered to be necessary.

Incidentally, I have seen a coding style that depends on comments *not*
nesting.  You might have these lines:

    puts("line one");   /* line one */
    puts("line two");   /* line two */
    puts("line three"); /* line three */

and if you want to comment out line two, you can insert a single
comment delimiter:

    puts("line one");   /* line one */
/*  puts("line two");   /* line two */
    puts("line three"); /* line three */

I'm not saying that this is a particularly good idea, but it
does exist.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Working, but not speaking, for JetHead Development, Inc.
"We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this."
    -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

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Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-04 22:56 +0100
  Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2018-04-05 00:45 +0200
    Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-04-04 23:07 +0000
    Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-05 01:29 +0100
      Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" jacobnavia <jacob@jacob.remcomp.fr> - 2018-04-06 00:10 +0200
        Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-05 23:48 +0100
  Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-05 13:31 +0000
    Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2018-04-05 09:48 -0500
      Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2018-04-08 16:37 -0700
        Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-08 18:58 -0700
          Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2018-04-09 00:56 -0700
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-09 01:59 -0700
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" mark.bluemel@gmail.com - 2018-04-09 02:36 -0700
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-09 03:49 -0700
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-09 12:14 +0100
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" mark.bluemel@gmail.com - 2018-04-09 04:40 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2018-04-09 22:21 -0500
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-09 21:37 -0700
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-04-10 11:51 +0200
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-10 07:15 -0700
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" already5chosen@yahoo.com - 2018-04-10 11:50 -0700
          Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-09 11:55 +0100
    Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-05 17:26 +0100
      Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-05 17:32 +0000
        Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-05 11:05 -0700
          Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-04-06 10:06 +0200
        Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-05 19:09 +0100
          Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-05 11:23 -0700
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-05 20:21 +0100
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-04-05 12:30 -0700
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-05 13:39 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-04-05 14:15 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-05 14:53 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-04-05 15:08 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2018-04-05 16:34 -0500
          Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-05 19:01 +0000
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-05 20:50 +0100
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-05 20:25 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-05 22:07 +0100
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-04-05 22:20 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" jameskuyper@verizon.net - 2018-04-05 19:50 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-04-06 11:08 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-06 04:24 -0700
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-04-12 12:35 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-12 14:02 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-04-13 07:18 +1200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-12 20:12 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-12 22:20 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-04-13 09:35 +1200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" supercat@casperkitty.com - 2018-04-12 14:47 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-12 15:19 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 01:44 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-04-13 13:04 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ed Kellett <e@kellett.im> - 2018-04-13 12:30 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-13 05:22 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 12:40 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Wouter Verhelst <w@uter.be> - 2018-04-13 14:14 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 13:53 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-13 13:52 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2018-04-13 15:25 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-13 08:45 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-13 08:58 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-13 16:24 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 18:09 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-13 10:26 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2018-04-13 11:48 -0400
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-13 13:50 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 16:00 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-13 09:03 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2018-04-13 12:06 -0400
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 18:04 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-13 10:09 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 18:14 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-04-14 12:56 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-04-14 12:34 -0400
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" jameskuyper@verizon.net - 2018-04-14 09:59 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-14 12:51 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ike Naar <ike@iceland.freeshell.org> - 2018-04-15 18:52 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2018-04-15 12:39 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-16 00:56 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-15 21:49 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-12 22:34 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-04-13 09:50 +1200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-12 23:16 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-04-13 10:30 +1200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-12 23:42 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-04-13 10:46 +1200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 01:21 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Reinhardt Behm <rbehm@hushmail.com> - 2018-04-13 09:04 +0800
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 02:14 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-04-13 10:03 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-13 02:46 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 11:22 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-04-13 13:45 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 13:44 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-04-13 15:18 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-13 18:27 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2018-04-13 13:43 +1200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Reinhardt Behm <rbehm@hushmail.com> - 2018-04-13 08:55 +0800
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-12 06:04 -0700
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Malcolm McLean <malcolm.arthur.mclean@gmail.com> - 2018-04-12 06:09 -0700
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2018-04-05 16:44 -0500
          Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-04-06 14:46 +0200
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-06 05:57 -0700
            Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-06 14:31 +0100
              Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2018-04-06 16:23 +0200
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2018-04-06 10:58 -0400
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2018-04-06 15:46 +0000
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" bartc <bc@freeuk.com> - 2018-04-06 16:18 +0100
                Re: "C's Biggest Mistake" Steven Petruzzellis <frelwizzen@gmail.com> - 2018-04-06 23:01 -0700

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