Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!ark1!nems!mimsy!chris
From: chris@mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Help...
Message-ID: <20185@mimsy.UUCP>
Date: 15 Oct 89 23:19:18 GMT
References: <731@carroll1.UUCP> <39902@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <1254@virtech.UUCP> <143@.rsp.is>
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742
Lines: 26

>In article <18227@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> jas@postgres.uucp (James Shankland)
>writes:
>>Randomly trying things, in the absence of an understanding of what's
>>really going on, is no way to solve a computer problem.

In article <143@.rsp.is> orn@rsp.is (Orn E. Hansen) writes:
>Randomly trying things gives you a multiple perspective to observe a single
>point.  Sometimes called SCIENCE, and used to gain new ways and methods to
>help humanity on it's path through life.

Randomly trying things is not called `science', it is called `poking
about'.  It can indeed give you a better perspective.  It is not,
however, very efficient.  It is best used only when nothing else is
available.

>How would you othervise come to know, what isn't known?  to understand what
>is misunderstood?

In this case, by a very simple method: read the description of the
components being used.  The `computer problem' being `solved' is the
analysis as to what a certain bit of C source code might do when
compiled and/or run.  There is a direct way to find out what C code
means, and that is to read and apply the language definition.
-- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 7163)
Domain:	chris@cs.umd.edu	Path:	uunet!mimsy!chris