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From: LLACROIX@carleton.edu.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: speculation: why sys. services do not check # of arguments
Message-ID: <8701281034.AA16381@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Tue, 27-Jan-87 10:35:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8701281034.AA16381
Posted: Tue Jan 27 10:35:00 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 29-Jan-87 05:21:14 EST
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I believe that VMS system services avoid checking the # of arguments for speed
considerations.  What you really want to do for argument checks in the kernel
are to avoid trashing the system or making a breech of security.  Anything else
is overhead that applies to all users on all systems, large to small. Not
really desirable.

Besides, someday everyone will have access to smart editors and program
verifiers so that this kind of error will be avoided from the start (or at
least easily discovered)...VMS might still be around by then, too.  Maybe.

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