Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!ucsd!ucbvax!VTVM1.BITNET!GRANGERG From: GRANGERG@VTVM1.BITNET (Greg Granger) Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2 Subject: Re: JPI V1.06b Message-ID: Date: 29 Sep 90 01:34:34 GMT References: Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: Modula2 List Organization: The Internet Lines: 46 On Fri, 28 Sep 90 14:36:11 GMT Tom Almy said: >Well, I got the update and certificates in the mail, and I never sent >... > >Unfortunately the two bugs I had discovered in 1.04 (but did not report) >are present in 1.06. I guess I'll call these in. Its a real shame they >decided to go for multilanguage support -- that really messed things up. >The compiler has gotten very complex to use, and the documentation for >all the various options stinks. And am I the only one annoyed by the use >of directory "include" for the Definition Modules? > >Tom Almy >toma@tekgvs.labs.tek.com >Standard Disclaimers Apply I wholeheartedly agree. Yes, the directory name bugs me, but not nearly as much as all the _XXX variables or the Eval() functions (which would more appropiately be called the IamReallyAVoidCFunction()) or tracing all the heap allocation calls down to calloc & malloc calls in the CLB ('C'ommon Lib, HA!). The problem isn't that they decided on multi-lang support, it that they decided to market a C compiler (very buggy from what I've heard) and as a sideline maybe some other langs in a half-a**ed fashion. Maybe the 'next major release' will address these problems, but judging from the way they (JPI) defends the 'quality' of there product ("yes, it has a few small bugs, and the docs aren't good enough, but I don't know what everyone is so upset about") I wouldn't hold my breath. Now it would be great if they would start over at version 1.xx (which was great), or sell it to someone that would update it correctly, or (no chance but I can dream can't I) give the source to the PD (now that would be GREAT, but...) WARNING SOAPBOX MODE ON ************************************* We have to face facts the market is C. My own view on this is that in 10-20 years people will think of C the way they think of COBOL today; anyone with the slighest technical knowledge will loth working with it, but all the admin. types will say "it must be good there are 800 millions lines of code written in it". (people may realize (one day) that this is the same argument as "Hitler must have been right because millions of people followed him") What we need is more people in management roles with real hard technical knowledge and less managers who 'think' they have hard technical knowledge cause they had a computer course once in school in 1968. OK I FEEL BETTER NOW **************************************** Greg