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From: Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.java.programmer,comp.sys.raspberry-pi
Subject: Re: Java ME or SE?
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 20:11:18 -0500
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On 11/10/2014 7:37 PM, Martin Gregorie wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Nov 2014 23:51:48 +0100, Kees Theunissen wrote:
>
>> Martin Gregorie wrote:
>>> A modern C compiler can compile any C program that was written in the
>>> past, including those using the original K&R syntax.

     Well, no: It won't *always* compile.

	#include <strings.h>  /* <string.h> nowadays */

	#include <malloc.h>  /* <stdarg.h> nowadays, sort of */

	#include <varargs.h>
	/* ... and the not-quite-compatible consequents thereof */

	#include <stdio.h>
	...	
	char *p = sprintf(...);  /* worked in some old C's, not today */

	enum permissiveness { allow, forbid, restrict };

	enum roller_skate_type { side_by_side, inline };

	processTransaction(tptr, void)
	    Transaction *tptr;  /* the transaction to process */
	    int void;           /* flag: true to void the transaction */
	{ ... }

	extern char *malloc();
	...
	float matrix = (float*) malloc(rows * cols * sizeof(float));
	/* This one's moderately subtle, but potentially fatal because
	 * although it may well compile, thus not providing a reliable
	 * counter-example to your assertion, it can misbehave badly.
	 */

	unsigned short this = 42;
	int that = -42;
	int those = this * that;
	/* Another "It compiles" example, where "It compiles" is of
	 * little comfort.  Modern C gives -1764 as the result, while
	 * some old C's gave 4294965532 or 63772.  Again, a case where
	 * "It compiles" simply isn't good enough: "It compiles," but
	 * to something not intended by the author.
	 */

     Java's a lot cleaner than C in this respect (given its shorter
history, it ought to be), but still not quite perfect.  Consider a
pre-1.4 source using `assert' as an identifier, or a pre-1.2 source
with a method named `strictfp'.  Change is the only constant.

-- 
esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid
"Don't be afraid of work. Make work afraid of you." -- TLM