Re: Learning C as an existing programmer

Message-ID	<37anb9-du2.ln1@wilbur.25thandClement.com> (permalink)
From	William Ahern <william@wilbur.25thandClement.com>
Subject	Re: Learning C as an existing programmer
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
References	<js8275$cpo$1@speranza.aioe.org> <a4pih0FaukU3@mid.individual.net> <js87rt$nd9$1@dont-email.me> <jsai5p$9o8$1@speranza.aioe.org> <lnobo75bjs.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org>
Date	2012-06-25 16:52 -0700

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Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> wrote:
> Edward Rutherford <edward.p.rutherford79@REMOVETHIS.gmail.com> writes:
> [...]
> > Any Basic programmer understands pointers! A pointer is basically the 
> > same thing as a ByRef function argument.
> >
> > The only exception is strings, which are a special type in C. For 
> > technical reasons they are officially pointers (char *) but in fact this 
> > is really just the string type, so char ** is a ByRef string.

> No, strings are not pointers.

> A string is, by definition, "a contiguous sequence of characters
> terminated by and including the first null character".

> A char* value that points to the first character of a string is referred
> to as a "pointer to a string".

> We commonly (actually, almost universally) use pointers of type char* to
> manipulate strings, but the pointer itself is not the string.

If you google the short history of Edward Rutherford's posts, you quickly
come to suspect that he's something of benevolent troll. He appears to have
his thumb on the pulse of this newsgroup and can generate, with the most
earnest seeming comments, very long and quite sincere threads. I say
benevolent because the responses he generates are the kind usually given.
Rather than discord he appears to enjoy purely the manipulation.

I would beware.

Thread

Learning C as an existing programmer rammy <nospam@nospam.com> - 2012-06-24 21:52 +0000
  Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-06-25 10:26 +1200
    Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2012-06-24 18:28 -0500
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Joe." <antelope3@news.net> - 2012-06-25 01:05 -0600
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Joe." <antelope3@news.net> - 2012-06-25 01:10 -0600
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Weland <weland@faeroes.freeshell.org> - 2012-06-25 08:20 +0000
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Joe." <antelope3@news.net> - 2012-07-02 01:46 -0600
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Edward Rutherford <edward.p.rutherford79@REMOVETHIS.gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 20:37 +0000
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-06-25 16:51 -0400
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-06-25 14:25 -0700
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> - 2012-06-25 17:50 -0500
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer William Ahern <william@wilbur.25thandClement.com> - 2012-06-25 16:52 -0700
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Les Cargill <lcargill99@comcast.com> - 2012-06-25 17:49 -0500
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-06-26 00:09 -0700
    Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Joe." <antelope3@news.net> - 2012-06-25 00:55 -0600
    Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Nachy <mazwolfe@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 13:26 -0700
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-06-25 17:07 -0400
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Nachy <mazwolfe@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 14:56 -0700
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-06-25 18:29 -0400
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer pete <pfiland@mindspring.com> - 2012-06-25 18:56 -0400
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-06-26 00:21 -0700
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2012-06-26 02:56 -0500
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2012-06-26 08:10 +0000
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "J. J. Farrell" <jjf@bcs.org.uk> - 2012-06-26 07:06 +0100
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-06-26 00:18 -0700
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2012-06-26 00:23 -0700
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-06-26 06:47 -0400
  Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-06-25 01:21 +0100
  Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Joe." <antelope3@news.net> - 2012-06-25 00:54 -0600
  Re: Learning C as an existing programmer David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-06-25 09:19 +0200
    Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 11:15 +0100
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Ronald Benedik" <Aon.912717285@aon.at> - 2012-06-25 12:30 +0200
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 11:43 +0100
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "Ronald Benedik" <Aon.912717285@aon.at> - 2012-06-25 12:55 +0200
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2012-06-25 10:38 +0000
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 13:05 +0100
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Heikki Kallasjoki <fis+usenet@zem.fi> - 2012-06-25 10:56 +0000
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-06-25 13:34 +0200
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 12:43 +0100
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-06-25 15:16 +0200
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 14:39 +0100
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-06-26 11:07 +0200
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-06-26 12:05 +0100
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-06-26 14:28 +0200
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 14:39 +0100
    Re: Learning C as an existing programmer 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2012-06-25 18:21 -0700
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-06-26 11:03 +0200
  Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-06-25 00:50 -0700
    Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-06-25 11:50 +0100
      Re: Learning C as an existing programmer gwowen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2012-06-25 04:32 -0700
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-06-25 14:25 +0100
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer gwowen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2012-06-26 02:38 -0700
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2012-06-26 12:13 +0200
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2012-06-26 12:15 +0200
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2012-06-26 23:08 +1200
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-06-27 01:55 +0100
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2012-06-26 18:43 -0700
        Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-06-25 14:27 -0700
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-06-26 00:18 -0700
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-06-26 04:02 -0700
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-06-26 05:54 -0700
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-06-26 07:22 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-06-28 04:28 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-06-29 10:07 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-07-02 08:57 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer gwowen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2012-07-03 03:26 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-07-06 16:28 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-07-06 18:16 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-07-07 04:51 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2012-07-07 16:48 +0100
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-07-07 09:07 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-07-07 12:27 -0700
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-07-03 15:01 +0100
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-07-06 16:13 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-07-07 19:35 +0100
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-07-07 11:52 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-07-07 19:40 -0700
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer gwowen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2012-06-26 03:03 -0700
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-06-26 06:34 -0700
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-06-26 06:40 -0700
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2012-06-27 07:16 +0100
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2012-06-27 06:48 -0400
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-06-28 09:18 +0200
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com - 2012-06-28 02:02 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2012-06-28 12:19 +0200
          Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Rui Maciel <rui.maciel@gmail.com> - 2012-07-03 15:00 +0100
            Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-07-06 15:56 -0700
              Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2012-07-07 09:18 -0700
                Re: Learning C as an existing programmer Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-07-07 11:56 -0700

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