Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!ucselx!bionet!agate!ucbvax!LL.MIT.EDU!preston
From: preston@LL.MIT.EDU (Steven Preston)
Newsgroups: comp.std.c
Subject: Re: comment style
Message-ID: <9101180837.AA06710@LL.MIT.EDU>
Date: 18 Jan 91 13:37:55 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Lines: 20

In article <1991Jan08.164014.26804@sco.COM> ron@scocan.sco.COM (Ron Irvine) writes:
>[quote of ANSI C Section 3.1.9]
>Thus, a compiler that gives a warning of nested comments upon
>finding the characters /* within a comment must have "examined"
>the contents of the comment beyond that specified by the standard
>and is in violation of the standard.

Section 3.1.9 specifies a semantic constraint.  A translator which
examines the contents of a comment in more detail is not in
"violation" of the standard.

Section 1.6 "Definitions of Terms" starts:
  In this standard, ``shall'' is to be interpreted as a requirement
  on an implementation or on a program; conversely, ``shall not'' is
  be interpreted as a prohibition.

Since 3.1.9 does not contain the words ``shall not'', it does not
constitute a prohibition.  
--
Steve Preston