Re: John McCarthy died today.

From	Edward Rutherford <edward.p.rutherford79@REMOVETHIS.gmail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: John McCarthy died today.
Date	2011-11-08 22:23 +0000
Organization	Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID	<j9ca4i$gt7$1@speranza.aioe.org> (permalink)
References	(8 earlier) <20111104214808.434@kylheku.com> <j98dee$fmo$1@dont-email.me> <ln1utjegei.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org> <8a3ee570-307b-46b4-8e39-996082e716fc@s5g2000vbe.googlegroups.com> <ln7h3acl4i.fsf@nuthaus.mib.org>

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Keith Thompson wrote:

> Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> writes:
>> On Nov 8, 12:06 am, Keith Thompson <ks...@mib.org> wrote:
>>> Define ":=" as an alias for "=", the simple assignment operator. Keep
>>> "=" and "==" as they are.  Provide an *optional* method (perhaps a new
>>> #pragma) to turn on a warning for any use of "=".
>>>
>> Or you could make the warning non-optional.
>>
>> A utility to go through old C code changing every incidence of "=" to
>> ":=" would be quite simple to write, and would ship with every new
>> compiler.
> 
> Are you serious?
> 
> Even if I thought it was a good idea, a language change that would
> require modifying practically every C source file ever written would
> never be accepted.
> 
> Modifying source files, even mechanically, is never a zero-cost
> operation.  Source control systems would show *huge* diffs between
> successive versions of the same file.  Suppose, for example, that foo.c
> version 1 uses "=" for assignment, version 2 makes some functional
> changes (10 lines changed), version 3 changes all the "=" to ":=" (with
> no other changes), and version 4 makes some more functional changes (7
> lines changed).  Imagine trying to compare versions 1 and 4 to see what
> the actual changes were. (No, we're not going to modify every diff tool
> in existence to ignore "=" vs. ":=".)  And that's assuming the "=" to
> ":=" change isn't combined with other modifications.
> 
> And version 4 will not compile with earlier compilers.  Now that I think
> about it, that's a very strong argument against my original idea.
> 
> Using "=" for assignment was not, in my opinion, a good idea.  Any
> attempt to change it now would be far worse.

With this attitude, the language will never improve!

Thread

John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-10-25 00:44 +0000
  Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-25 01:27 -0700
  Re: John McCarthy died today. Kleuskes & Moos <kleuske@somewhere.else.net> - 2011-10-25 09:27 +0000
  Re: John McCarthy died today. Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-25 11:27 +0100
  Re: John McCarthy died today. Ark <akhasin@macroexpressions.com> - 2011-10-29 13:33 -0400
    Re: John McCarthy died today. Willem <willem@toad.stack.nl> - 2011-10-29 17:51 +0000
      Re: John McCarthy died today. Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-29 21:28 +0300
      Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-29 11:57 -0700
        Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-30 08:20 -0700
      Re: John McCarthy died today. Ark <akhasin@macroexpressions.com> - 2011-11-04 05:20 -0400
        Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-04 15:53 +0000
          Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-04 12:16 -0400
            Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-04 17:58 +0000
              Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-04 20:49 -0400
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-05 01:55 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-07 10:54 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "Charles Richmond" <netnews@aquaporin4.com> - 2011-11-07 07:36 -0600
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-07 19:49 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-07 15:49 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-08 00:38 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-08 07:05 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. lawrence.jones@siemens.com - 2011-11-08 09:12 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-08 16:48 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-08 12:12 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-08 23:27 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-08 14:10 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-08 17:16 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. lawrence.jones@siemens.com - 2011-11-09 13:51 -0500
                Re: Looping Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-11-09 19:21 -0700
                Re: Looping Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-10 02:34 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Joe Wright <joewwright@comcast.net> - 2011-11-08 17:49 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-08 16:35 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Joe Wright <joewwright@comcast.net> - 2011-11-09 01:08 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-09 01:26 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Joe Wright <joewwright@comcast.net> - 2011-11-09 08:18 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-09 05:32 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-09 01:24 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Quentin Carbonneaux <qcarbonn@invalid.com> - 2011-11-09 11:59 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-09 05:34 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-11-08 18:31 +0200
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-07 14:06 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-08 02:01 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-07 23:16 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-08 05:18 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-07 23:17 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-08 01:46 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-08 13:02 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-08 14:19 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Edward Rutherford <edward.p.rutherford79@REMOVETHIS.gmail.com> - 2011-11-08 22:23 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-08 18:13 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-08 23:38 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-08 23:18 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-11-10 12:40 +0200
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-11-10 11:39 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-10 12:23 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. 88888 Dihedral <dihedral88888@googlemail.com> - 2011-11-10 05:38 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-11-10 17:29 +0200
                Re: John McCarthy died today. David Thompson <dave.thompson2@verizon.net> - 2011-11-21 02:39 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-08 16:34 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-09 01:37 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-09 13:25 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-10 10:36 +1300
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-11-09 23:47 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-10 00:21 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-10 03:04 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2011-11-10 15:20 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2011-11-12 23:22 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-13 01:44 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "Charles Richmond" <netnews@aquaporin4.com> - 2011-11-13 04:18 -0600
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-13 16:57 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-11-13 11:59 -0600
                Re: John McCarthy died today. gazelle@shell.xmission.com (Kenny McCormack) - 2011-11-13 18:54 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-13 14:47 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-14 03:43 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-11-14 09:00 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-14 18:30 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-14 14:44 -0500
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-11-14 20:13 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-11-14 00:21 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Lauri Alanko <la@iki.fi> - 2011-11-10 15:26 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-10 01:51 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Edward Rutherford <edward.p.rutherford79@REMOVETHIS.gmail.com> - 2011-11-09 17:15 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-09 18:04 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-09 13:31 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-11-09 15:53 -0600
                Re: John McCarthy died today. "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-11-09 22:02 +0000
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-09 14:14 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-09 13:50 -0800
                Re: John McCarthy died today. James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-08 07:10 -0500
          Re: John McCarthy died today. Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-04 14:51 -0700

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