Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site geowhiz.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!uwvax!geowhiz!karsh
From: karsh@geowhiz.UUCP (Bruce Karsh)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re: long names in 'C' programs
Message-ID: <190@geowhiz.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 23-May-85 21:07:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: geowhiz.190
Posted: Thu May 23 21:07:06 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 25-May-85 05:46:31 EDT
References: <476@aicchi.UUCP> <668@mcvax.UUCP> <964@peora.UUCP>
Reply-To: karsh@geowhiz.UUCP (Bruce Karsh)
Organization: UW Madison, Geology Dept.
Lines: 21

>It's simply an issue of compatibility.  Unless you want to make your users
>suffer unnecessarily, you should introduce new changes gradually, and wait
>for the old ones to die out gracefully, rather than forcing new features
>on the user.

  I agree with this statement, but I don't know how long I have to wait
for the old compilers to go away.  Does somebody want to make a guide-
line for this?  For example, is it reasonable to use a new feature that
is only 2 years old?  4 years old?  8 years old?  16 years old?

  How long do we have to wait?  I guess I think 2 years old is enough.
Maybe 3 if you want to be super cautious.  But I don't think we should
make people's old software hold back progress any longer than that.


-- 
Bruce Karsh                           |
U. Wisc. Dept. Geology and Geophysics |
1215 W Dayton, Madison, WI 53706      | This space for rent.
(608) 262-1697                        |
{ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!geowhiz!karsh    |