Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!gegeweb.org!de-l.enfer-du-nord.net!feeder2.enfer-du-nord.net!feeds.phibee-telecom.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed5.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail
Return-Path: <python-python-list@m.gmane.org>
X-Original-To: python-list@python.org
Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org
X-Spam-Status: OK 0.000
X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 1.00; '*S*': 0.00; 'binary': 0.05; 'from:addr:yahoo.co.uk': 0.05; 'memory.': 0.05; 'things.': 0.05; 'subject:Python': 0.05; 'indicated': 0.07; 'indeed,': 0.09; 'patches': 0.09; 'systems.': 0.12; 'fix': 0.14; 'dec': 0.14; '1990': 0.16; 'assembler': 0.16; 'awesome.': 0.16; "didn't,": 0.16; 'function?': 0.16; 'reboot': 0.16; 'received:80.91': 0.16; 'received:80.91.229': 0.16; 'received:gmane.org': 0.16; 'received:list': 0.16; 'specific.': 0.16; 'subject: \n ': 0.16; 'trap': 0.16; 'wed,': 0.18; 'wrote:': 0.19; 'expanded': 0.21; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.22; 'select': 0.22; 'implemented': 0.23; "i've": 0.24; 'header:User-Agent:1': 0.26; 'function': 0.26; 'subject: [': 0.28; 'especially': 0.28; 'source': 0.29; 'header:X -Complaints-To:1': 0.29; 'worked': 0.29; 'assistance,': 0.30; 'loaded': 0.30; 'initial': 0.30; 'practical': 0.30; 'chris': 0.31; 'code': 0.32; 'running': 0.33; 'am,': 0.34; 'e.g.': 0.34; 'to:addr :python-list': 0.35; 'heard': 0.35; 'wanted': 0.36; 'grant': 0.36; 'received:org': 0.36; 'but': 0.37; 'subject:: ': 0.37; 'unable': 0.38; 'some': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'header:Received:5': 0.40; 'quite': 0.40; 'received:net': 0.60; '2012': 0.62; 'computers': 0.66; 'edwards': 0.91; 'received:2': 0.91
X-Injected-Via-Gmane: http://gmane.org/
To: python-list@python.org
From: Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Number of languages known [was Re: Python is readable] - somewhat OT
Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:16:18 +0100
References: <CAPTjJmoEuHcUs5vkTNywfC6ZAwsKdVvs+8os40EJ4Oa1GPaBVw@mail.gmail.com> <B58DAE84-AA61-477A-B835-A62DA2224D8A@gmail.com> <CAPTjJmr3ybJUZFPyTWLysOE3YgWUjFZ8Bx6cjVjvNYVakXzM1Q@mail.gmail.com> <CAOFbRmLFrE_YiNu39xShCHnicoKVFYg8raZAGfHY9pC3HmOxVg@mail.gmail.com> <CAPTjJmqRBB+J=BwBCkSK--BtcNMQHteXwb7qguc6fD=O+-oKNw@mail.gmail.com> <mailman.1129.1333043324.3037.python-list@python.org> <4f7512db$0$29981$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <mailman.1144.1333085828.3037.python-list@python.org> <78a6d2f8-23de-496a-afb7-943b60e57c88@mq9g2000pbb.googlegroups.com> <mailman.1254.1333428932.3037.python-list@python.org> <94c6033a-26e7-4b49-911c-b63ca01d13ea@wj4g2000pbc.googlegroups.com> <mailman.1269.1333456757.3037.python-list@python.org> <0f1ead89-f0f1-4179-904d-ec1efda38809@t2g2000pbg.googlegroups.com> <jlf1b9$hhh$1@dough.gmane.org> <mailman.1275.1333463503.3037.python-list@python.org> <jlf2fo$6mm$1@reader1.panix.com> <CAPTjJmokK8SsTP4nLv7Wiu7PUcmPUWnj5LUzsmmHxJ7+kxgnuA@mail.gmail.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Gmane-NNTP-Posting-Host: host-2-97-70-212.as13285.net
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.0; rv:11.0) Gecko/20120327 Thunderbird/11.0.1
In-Reply-To: <CAPTjJmokK8SsTP4nLv7Wiu7PUcmPUWnj5LUzsmmHxJ7+kxgnuA@mail.gmail.com>
X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 120403-1, 03/04/2012), Outbound message
X-Antivirus-Status: Clean
X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12
Precedence: list
List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language <python-list.python.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list>
List-Post: <mailto:python-list@python.org>
List-Help: <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list>, <mailto:python-list-request@python.org?subject=subscribe>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python
Message-ID: <mailman.1281.1333466191.3037.python-list@python.org>
Lines: 33
NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6
X-Trace: 1333466191 news.xs4all.nl 6988 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:50090
X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl
Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:22608

On 03/04/2012 15:56, Chris Angelico wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 4, 2012 at 12:46 AM, Grant Edwards<invalid@invalid.invalid>  wrote:
>> Anybody remember DEC's VAX/VMS "patch" utility?  Apparently, DEC
>> thought it was a practical way to fix things.  It had a built-in
>> assembler and let you "insert" new code into a function by
>> auto-allocating a location for the new code an hooking it into the
>> indicated spot with jump instructions.
>>
>> The mind wobbled.
>
> Not specifically, but I _have_ heard of various systems whose source
> code and binary were multiple years divergent. It's actually not a
> difficult trap to fall into, especially once you start patching
> running systems. I've had quite a few computers that have been unable
> to reboot without assistance, because they go for months or years
> without ever having to go through that initial program load. (I've had
> _programs_ that were unable to load, for the same reason.) But
> auto-allocating a new spot for your expanded function? That's just...
> awesome. My mind is, indeed, wobbling.
>
> ChrisA

Around 1990 I worked on Telematics kit.  The patches on all their 
software were implemented via assembler once the original binary had 
been loaded into memory.  They even came up with a system that let you 
select which patches you wanted and which you didn't, as e.g. some 
patches were customer specific.

-- 
Cheers.

Mark Lawrence.