Tools and Professionals (Was Re: Errors aren't that simple)

[George W. Leach]

In article <CT.1E53xds13 at ficc.uu.net> peter at ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) writes:

>C happens to be the most popular language on a wide range of hardware,

>Thus, simply by statistics one could predict that a large number of
>programs written in C are likely to contain major bugs. There are a
>large number of programs written in C, period.

    True.

    Tools are designed with a certain user in mind.  Tools that professionals
use have less safety features on them than do tools for home use.  Often this
is because the professional requires greater flexibility in the tool in order
to maintain a high level of productivity on the job.  It is also assumed that
the professional is a highly skilled and well trained individual in the craft
in which s/he is involved in.  Knowing how to properly use the tools of one's
craft is part of this.

    At home, the amateur or hobbiest does not have the time or need to develop
skills to same degree as a professional.  Thus the tradeoff is made: 
flexibility for increased safety.  Often safety features only get in the way
of the professional who knows how to handle the tools.  Obviously there are
safety features which are absolutely necessary and can not be done away with.

    C (and C++) is a professional's tool, developed by and for professionals.
Unfortunately, due to the popularity of the language (as was pointed out in
the above posting) we have many non-professionals using this tool.  So do
we blame the tool or the manufacturer of the tool?  Do we water down the
tool and make it less useful for the professional?

    This is not a simple yes or no answer.  One must recognize the fact that
this profession is filled with people who come from all sorts of backgrounds
and have all sorts of skill levels.  However, for those who have the proper
background and training it would be a disservice to take the power of the
tool out of their hands.  The answer is to do a better job of training the
users of the tools.

    Unfortunately, as long as the denabd for programmers exceeds the supply
and companies are willing to hire amateurs to do a professional's job, we
will have the same situation.

    Would you trust someone to build a bridge, whose only exposure to the
subject area is from being a bricklayer for a year?

George


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