Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!clyde!cbatt!danews!lvc
From: lvc@danews.ATT.COM (Larry Cipriani)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Questions on X3J11 draft
Message-ID: <351@danews.ATT.COM>
Date: Wed, 3-Dec-86 13:03:13 EST
Article-I.D.: danews.351
Posted: Wed Dec  3 13:03:13 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 3-Dec-86 22:40:30 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Medical Information Systems, Columbus, Oh
Lines: 49
Keywords: C,X3J11

I've questions about the X3J11 draft.  I don't have a copy so
could someone answer these for me.  Thanks a lot.

1) What is the unary plus operator I've heard ?  Is it an attempt
to force ordering in expression evaluation ?  If it is I strongly 
object to this, it doesn't seem necessary as any expression can
be split up and its parts can be evaluated separately.  From a
human factors approach it is grotesque.

2) Can I do something like this:

#define ABC=100

or must the = be omitted ?

3) Can I do something like this:

char a[sizeof(struct name *)0->element];

If not, how can I get the size of a structure element without
defining an object of the structure type (sometimes you don't
need the object)?  (Is this even valid C ?).

A couple points on strategy:

4) Are there provisions for future modifications to the standard?
Experience may show an idea that looks fine in the draft may
turn out to be a mistake.  If there isn't any way to back
out mistakes I'm registering a complaint on it.

5) Has any attempt been made to see what percentage of existing
code (say at AT&T or wherever) would break under the X3J11 draft?
If not, I believe it would be useful to determine that.  If
95% of existing code will break perhaps the draft ought to be
revised.  If that much code will break, people aren't going to
program in the language.  They'll keep using the compilers that exist.

6) On a more philosophical note, I object to the use of the name
C for the language.  Unless Dennis Ritchie has said he doesn't
mind, I'll say it;  call it something else, say C87 (like FORTRAN77).

Thanks again,

Larry Cipriani
cbsck!lvc
-- 

Larry Cipriani	AT&T Network Systems
danews!lvc