Article about C

[utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!npois!harpo!zeppo!wheps!ihnss!houxi!u1100a!rick]

The article about 'C' in the December Sigplan states

''It is the purpose of this paper to to begin a syntactic
description of C that will reduce the number of semantic "hooks"
required by incorporating many of the semantic idioms into the syntax,
producing a clearer, more complete definition of C.
	''The syntactic description was specifically scanned in an effort
to maximize the correctness of the syntax, while minimizing the number of 
semantics associated with the grammar.  The study focused on three areas of
concern in Bell Labs' version of C, whose syntax description is listed in
[Kernighan and Ritchie]:
	1. Function definitions and declarations are very incomplete,
	   requiring a large number of semantic check conditions
	   implementable in the syntax.
	2. Statement descriptions are confusing, and in one case, in error.
	3. Data and function types are used haphazardly in the grammar,
	   with no thought to trap the utilization and scope of storage
	   class specifiers and types.''

The article contained a proposed reworked BNF grammar for the language.
Unfortunately, it was unreadable because it had been printed on a line-printer
with a weak ribbon.  The results when the ACM people tried to offset
print from that as a master were predictable.
So I wrote to the authors and requested a copy with a readable BNF,
and they sent me their original Technical Note, with the following letter:

		Dear Rick:

		Enclosed find a copy of our paper as you
		requested.  In answer to your question, we have had
		no replies from anyone else at Bell Labs.
			Since the grammer is basically "untested", we
		would appreciate any irregularities or improvements/
		suggestions you may have.

					Sincerely,
					/signed/ 
					Patrick Fitzhorn


How about it, people!

				Rick Thomas -- houxi!u1100a!rick

	PS: The authors' addresses are:
		Patrick A. Fitzhorn and Gerold R. Johnson
		Department of Computer Science
		Colorado State University
		Ft. Collins, Co. 80523