From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Claus Fischer To: Joe Buck Cc: dstarner98@aasaa.ofe.org, gcc@gcc.gnu.org Subject: Re: type based aliasing again Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 18:02:00 -0000 Message-ID: References: <199909092353.QAA25392@atrus.synopsys.com> X-SW-Source: 1999-09n/msg00386.html Message-ID: <19990930180200.iBuD9pMc69nuaAheOFCYaXwQCOqMy6eR_3iNOeEo_ZI@z> On Thu, 9 Sep 1999, Joe Buck wrote: : 1) What is the real type of the object that I am reading or writing? : 2) What type am I using to access the object? Well I agree that this is a very good method to make the thing explainable. And if that were the only result of your discussion it would IMHO be enough reason do have it. Also, for a lot of programs that are written purely in C, and that do not do the types of nasty hardware access like the kernel, it's a non-issue. However a lot of people use C only for the things they can't do in other languages. Example situation (from my former workplace): User-programs in COBOL (I have no clue about that language) Transaction processing software as libraries with C interface Some C routines are required to fill the COBOL strings with characters from the messages passed on the network. The people who are writing this linkage stuff are really having a hard time from all sides. Yes I know (1) they should hire someone qualified and (2) they should do the whole thing in C/C++ and (3) the linkage layer doesn't have to be optimized and ... In practice they create the C code by trial and error and once it works they switch on -O. You can do a lot of C without knowing the language; the aliasing might break your neck. Not strictly my beer but one thing I love about the GNU folks is that try to help everybody. :) Claus -- claus.fischer@intel.com Intel Corporation SC12-205 ... not speaking phone +1-408-765-6808 2200 Mission College Blvd. for Intel fax +1-408-765-9322 Santa Clara, CA 95052-8119