Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!usc!elroy!peregrine!ccicpg!zardoz!dhw68k!arcturus!evil
From: evil@arcturus.UUCP (Wade Guthrie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: C expert criteria
Message-ID: <5115@arcturus>
Date: 23 Jun 89 16:07:59 GMT
References: <12280@well.UUCP>
Distribution: all
Organization: Rockwell International, Anaheim, CA
Lines: 74

In article <12280@well.UUCP>, tmh@well.UUCP (Todd M. Hoff) writes:
>> What do you need to know to be an expert C programmer?
> 
> There must be some real answers to the question about what makes a
> C expert. We all at least have implicit criteria.  In the Unix world
> I saw a list categorizing 9 levels of Unix expertise. 

I never thought I would have a reason to repost this, but I saved it
anyway.  At any rate, here goes a list of categories for C programmers
similar to those originally used for unix types:

NAME		DESCRIPTION AND FEATURES

novice		- puts "#include <stdio.h>" in his code, but is
		  not sure why
		- has heard of pointers, but has never seen one


user		- uses the following macros:
			#define	BEGIN	{
			#define	END	;}
		- has had a bad experience with pointers
		- knows the difference between ' and "


knowledgeable	- uses:
user			if(a==b)
				c = 1;
			else
				c = 0;
		- uses pointers, but only in place of arrays
		- loves writing code on VMS


expert		- uses:
			c = (a==b) ? 1 : 0;
		- uses pointers comfortably
		- are jazzed when they find a compiler bug because they
		  found it
		- has figured out what && and || are for
		- refuses to write C code on VMS


hacker		- uses:
			c = a==b;
		- writes code which use pointers to functions
		- writes macros instead of simple functions
		- uses bitwise operators because they are like assembler
		- writes simple code with "cat >" and compiles it
		  with "!cc".
		- uses argv and argc


guru		- avoids bitwise operators due to portability
		- are annoyed with compiler bugs
		- writes code portable enough to port from VMS but
		  doesn't relish the thought
		- writes libraries that his fellow workmates use
		- can answer most C questions after a little thought


wizard		- writes compilers with "cat >" (and they work!)
		- reads device driver source with breakfast
		- can tell what question you are about to ask, and answer it
		- is on a first-name basis with Dennis, Bill, and Ken


Wade Guthrie
evil@arcturus.UUCP
Rockwell International
Anaheim, CA

(Rockwell doesn't necessarily believe / stand by what I'm saying; how could
they when *I* don't even know what I'm talking about???)