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Groups > comp.lang.c > #101081

Re: Using == operator

From raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos)
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: Using == operator
Date 2017-01-04 09:55 +0000
Organization Go wash your mouth.
Message-ID <586cc622.1844062@news.xs4all.nl> (permalink)
References (7 earlier) <f51d05e0-e83f-4eb8-922a-59b0f241ee2c@googlegroups.com> <lnr34luib2.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <o4h53l$umh$1@dont-email.me> <lnshozu7b7.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <640f8d29-0683-4614-9cde-c22e80e4dd00@googlegroups.com>

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supercat@casperkitty.com wrote:

> On Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at 4:06:27 PM UTC-6, Keith Thompson wrote:
> > Even if we assume that that corresponds to `if (apple_count)`, what's
> > the corresponding English for if(node->next)?
> 
> Since every pointer which is used in such a context is required to either
> be a valid pointer or a null pointer, the English would be "If the object
> pointed to by 'node' has a valid 'next' pointer, then...."  Although the
> code is in a literal sense comparing a pointer with a null pointer, such
> a comparison is merely the means by which code determines that a pointer is
> valid.

Yes, that's the reasonable way any halfway experienced programmer will
read it. But it's not the _immediate English_ reading of the line.

Pretending that programming languages should be legible in the same way
that natural languages are is daft. Let's not pretend it is anything
else.

Richard

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Thread

guidelines for pointer check Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-12-29 12:53 -0800
  Re: guidelines for pointer check Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-12-30 09:58 +1300
  Re: guidelines for pointer check Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-29 13:39 -0800
    Re: guidelines for pointer check Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-12-29 15:24 -0800
      Re: guidelines for pointer check Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2016-12-29 19:05 -0500
        Re: guidelines for pointer check Thiago Adams <thiago.adams@gmail.com> - 2016-12-30 05:27 -0800
          Re: guidelines for pointer check Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-12-30 14:35 +0000
          Re: guidelines for pointer check supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-12-30 10:38 -0800
        Re: guidelines for pointer check Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-02 02:28 -0800
      Re: guidelines for pointer check Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-29 16:19 -0800
  Re: guidelines for pointer check Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-12-29 13:58 -0800
  guidelines for pointer check asetofsymbols@gmail.com - 2016-12-30 05:35 -0800
  Re: guidelines for pointer check raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-01 10:47 +0000
  Re: guidelines for pointer check Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2017-01-02 14:19 +0100
    Re: guidelines for pointer check David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 14:28 +0100
      Re: guidelines for pointer check Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2017-01-02 17:35 +0100
        Re: Using == operator Noob <root@127.0.0.1> - 2017-01-02 19:03 +0100
          Re: Using == operator David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2017-01-02 23:41 +0100
            Re: Using == operator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-02 14:54 -0800
              Re: Using == operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-02 15:57 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2017-01-03 16:31 -0500
                Re: Using == operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-03 14:06 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2017-01-03 14:44 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-03 15:05 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2017-01-04 16:42 +0000
                Re: Using == operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-15 11:46 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2017-01-03 21:22 -0700
                Re: Using == operator supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-03 15:23 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-03 15:30 -0800
                Re: Using == operator supercat@casperkitty.com - 2017-01-03 16:02 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-01-03 16:30 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-15 11:26 -0800
                Re: Using == operator raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-04 09:55 +0000
                Re: Using == operator Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2017-01-04 16:49 +0000
                Re: Using == operator raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-10 01:28 +0000
                Re: Using == operator Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2017-01-09 19:12 -0700
                Re: Using == operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-15 09:12 -0800
                Re: Using == operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-15 09:54 -0800
              Re: Using == operator raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-01-03 21:08 +0000
                Re: Using == operator Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-15 06:44 -0800
  Re: guidelines for pointer check Anand Hariharan <mailto.anand.hariharan@gmail.com> - 2017-01-04 08:54 -0800
    Re: guidelines for pointer check Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2017-01-14 00:51 -0800

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