Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!odx
From: ODX@PSUVM.BITNET (Tim Larson)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2
Subject: Re: The WITH statement
Message-ID: <89331.084720ODX@PSUVM.BITNET>
Date: 27 Nov 89 13:47:20 GMT
References: <89321.154018ODX@PSUVM.BITNET> <24410@cup.portal.com>
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 20

In article <24410@cup.portal.com>, R_Tim_Coslet@cup.portal.com says:
>I believe that if you use it right, there are no statements in Modula-2 that
>are a "bad idea"!
>
>It is the responsibility of the programmer to understand the tools (i.e.
>statements) provided to him by the language (i.e. Modula-2) or environment
[...]
>In both cases I would consider the user (programmer or carpenter) of the
>tool (WITH statement or screwdriver) not the supplier of the tool to be
>the cause of the problem (because he "misused" the tools).

I agree with you that a programmer, like any craftsman, must know his tools
intimately, and use them properly.  However, any tool can be improved; after
all, Modula-2 is an improvement upon older tools, such as Pascal.  Who better
than the craftsmen to suggest improvements?  Who better than the designer to
implement the improvement?  Stone axes were once state-of-the-art, till
someone challenged the prevailing wisdom.

-Tim Larson
odx@psuvm.bitnet