Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!newcastle.ac.uk!turing!ncmh
From: Chris.Holt@newcastle.ac.uk (Chris Holt)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Dynamic typing (part 3)
Message-ID: <1991Mar13.124811.1380@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 13 Mar 91 12:48:11 GMT
References: <609@optima.cs.arizona.edu> <25381:Mar1221:07:3891@kramden.acf.nyu.edu>
Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, NE1 7RU
Lines: 17

brnstnd@kramden.acf.nyu.edu (Dan Bernstein) writes:
>In article <609@optima.cs.arizona.edu> gudeman@cs.arizona.edu (David Gudeman) writes:

>> Required declarations are not in languages because they
>> are a good idea,

>I have to disagree. Declarations help catch typos, if nothing else.

So in prototype-style code, leave declarations out, and in production
code put them in.  Would you want to have to declare input types
when using a pocket calculator?  On the other hand, would you want
a theorem prover to have to work from scratch, without any hints
as to the legitimate domains of variables?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Chris.Holt@newcastle.ac.uk      Computing Lab, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
       "A peace I hope with honour." - Disraeli 1878