Compilers and programming style (was Re: A question of style)

[Mike Schilling]

>From article <649 at codonics.COM>, by bret at codonics.COM (Bret Orsburn):
> In article <1989Dec31.153241.16479 at gdt.bath.ac.uk> exspes at gdr.bath.ac.uk (P E Smee) writes:
>>>
>>>	*ptr;		/* Should be (*ptr)(), of course */
>>
>>while valid as written, clearly has no effects and no side effects.
> 
> Let me get something clear: are_you/is_anybody claiming that *all* isolated
> pointer dereferences are inherently worthless ...

I'm claiming exactly that.  To claim the contary, one has to assert the 
following:

1. Dereferencing a pointer is an absolute command to read the location pointed
   to, unless *optimization* is allowed.
2. A high-level language is a tool for generating a precise sequence of
   machine instructions.

I don't believe either of those.  I've done my share of hardware hacking, but
in assembly language, as God intended.
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mikes at rtech.com = Mike Schilling, Ingres Corporation, Alameda, CA