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From: bruce@menkar.gsfc.nasa.gov (Bruce Mount 572-8408)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: problems/risks due to programming language, stories requested
Summary: Beating a dead horse
Message-ID: <2999@umbc3.UMBC.EDU>
Date: 19 Mar 90 20:27:52 GMT
References: <159@uninet.vbo.dec.com> <1527@amethyst.math.arizona.edu>
Sender: newspost@umbc3.UMBC.EDU
Reply-To: bruce@atria.gsfc.nasa.gov (Bruce Mount)
Followup-To: bruce@atria.gsfc.nasa.gov
Organization: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Lines: 50

>>>  [Stuff deleted]
>>>That (IMHO) is a very important factor (and to me, a reason not to use C).
>>>
>>>Peter Van Avermaet
 
 
>Do you refuse to drive a car because an irresponsible person could drive one
>through a crowded play ground?


I won't drive a car without seatbelts or bumpers.


>
>Do you refuse to own a gun because someone could use a (not necessarily your)
>gun to kill someone else?


I won't use a gun without a safety.


>
>Do you refuse to own a (any) knife because someone could use a knife to injure/
>kill someone else?


I am very careful whenever I use a sharp knife.  

I've had profession driving classes, gun classes, and cooking classes, but
I still make mistakes.  Don't you?  Whenever I use something dangerous 
(e.g. a loaded gun) I use it very slowly and carefully.  Not from lack of 
training, but BECAUSE of training, survival training.

I use C and UNIX every day (and have for years), but I can write fully 
finished and tested software faster in almost any other language.  Why?
Because even the most experienced C programmer eventually gets bitten
by their own mistakes.  AND I FULLY ADMIT THAT THEY ARE MY OWN MISTAKES,
but so what?  

Of course I make mistakes in all languages (dammit I HATE saying that, but
it's true), but most other languages provide features that limit my ability 
to self destruct.  C does provide wonderful low-level access to bits and
bytes, but these day so do many other languages, at reduced risk.

--Bruce

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| Bruce Mount                 "Brevity is best" |
| bruce@atria.gsfc.nasa.gov                     |
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