machine generated code and chatty compilers

[Edwin Wiles]

In article <1471 at mdbs.UUCP> wsmith at mdbs.UUCP (Bill Smith) writes:
>For those helpful souls that wish their C or C++ compiler to generate
>helpful warning messages in contexts that are technically correct, I 
>have another argument that that is inherently a bad idea.
>....{edited for brevity}....
>If it is convenient for the pre-processor to generate code that is in a
>pattern that is a mistake when done by humans, any warnings in such
>context will render the rest of the compiler's error checking useless.

1)	If it's a mistake for a human to do it, then it's a mistake for a
	program to do it.

2)	If it's not a mistake, then don't complain about it.

	(Personally, I consider type-mismatches to be mistakes.  Supposedly
	"safe" mismatches have bitten me too often for me to 'ignore' them
	without careful consideration, and even then I'll typecast rather
	than leave a "mistake".)

3)	Any program smart enough to write code should be smart enough to
	avoid things such as type mismatches.  If it isn't, then fix it!
	"Who?... Me?... WHAT opinions?!?"	| Edwin Wiles
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