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From: dlnash@ut-ngp.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: C and Floating Point
Message-ID: <4968@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-Apr-87 11:38:20 EST
Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.4968
Posted: Wed Apr  8 11:38:20 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Apr-87 08:11:59 EST
References: <15958@sun.uucp> <5716@brl-smoke.ARPA> <14680@cca.CCA.COM> <788@kodak.UUCP>
Organization: UTexas Computation Center, Austin, Texas
Lines: 23
Keywords: C Fortran Floating Point Parenthases

In article <788@kodak.UUCP>, grodberg@kodak.UUCP (jeremy grodberg) writes:
>      To satisfy the time critical applications, I would recommend either
> a compile time command line option such as -Oe (optimize expressions) or
> a reserved word #define, such as #define OPT_EXPR (which could also be
> specified on the compiler line).  The latter would provide for code
> transportability between standard and non-standard compilers, as well as a way
> to compile old code on new compilers.
> 

I like the -Oe idea better that the #define OPT_EXPR idea.  Making a #define
directive affect the compiler is not a good idea, since someone else may be
using OPT_EXPR (or almost whatever else you come up with) to mean something
else.  The -Oe idea makes the most sense to me.  Existing code doesn't break,
and if you need specific evaluation order, you don't need to add stuff to your
code (unary '+') to get it.  Of course, since this is the logical solution,
there is no way it will ever get implemented. :-)

				Don Nash

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