Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!hpfcso!hplabs!hpl-opus!hpcc05!hpgva1!hpuamsa!franks
From: franks@hpuamsa.neth.hp.com (Frank Slootweg CRC)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: Switching from Sun to HP: some general questions
Message-ID: <28510040@hpuamsa.neth.hp.com>
Date: 3 May 91 08:43:55 GMT
References: <JJC.91Apr8133840@jclark.UUCP>
Organization: HP-Sales Office-The Netherlands
Lines: 23

Scott Mackie writes :

>|> alloca() and crt0 are not things that "portable" programs should be messing
>|> with.  Doing so merely guarantees your software will not be portable.  Software
>|> that adheres to standards (POSIX especially) should port with no problem.
>
>The patches, as I remember (I ask for artistic licence here as it's been about
>9 months !), were to the pieces of code *inside* the HP assembler switches
>in alloca.s. I don't see that affecting future ports to other manufacturers 
>platforms.

  No offense, but I think you still don't get it. I think what Marc
(Sabatella) meant is that portable programs should not *use/depend_on*
things like alloca() and crt0, so a patch for something you are not
supposed to use is a moot point. Agreed?

> Uhh, yeah.... My fault for sloppy typing... Mind you, anyone who thinks I'd apply
> a patch to as(1) instead of fixing the source is being a tad silly ;-) 

  And so is anyone using/depending_on alloca() and/or crt.0 in a
"portable" program.

Frank Slootweg, working but not speaking for HP.