Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!littlei!martin
From: martin@littlei.UUCP (martin)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.bugs
Subject: pointer checking
Message-ID: <228@gandalf.littlei.UUCP>
Date: 16 Feb 88 18:29:18 GMT
Organization: Intel Corp., ISO Systems Development, Hillsboro, OR
Lines: 29
Keywords: 16 bits vs 32 bits


I do not want to start another net wars, but I am tired of seeing
people write programs that are non-portable between C compilers.

The material I am referencing is the latest software called "perl".

If you look at the source you will see that the authors blatenly
compaired pointers to zero without thinking what happens if
sizeof(ptr) != sizeof(int).  I know that C does not gripe if
you do something like this, but can't people program better?


Example:

char *ptr;

if (ptr) {		/* WRONG !!!!!! */
    do something
}

if (ptr != (char *)NULL) { 	/* RIGHT !!!!!! */
    do something
}

If you want people to use your software, then write it so that
it can be ported easier.


Standard disclaimer applies.