Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!pyramid!decwrl!megatest!djones From: djones@megatest.UUCP (Dave Jones) Newsgroups: comp.lang.pascal Subject: Re: Global variables Message-ID: <412@goofy.megatest.UUCP> Date: 25 Mar 88 22:41:01 GMT References: Organization: Megatest Corporation, San Jose, Ca Lines: 40 in article , jc5z+@andrew.cmu.edu (John L. Cusack) says: > > What is the big deal about not declaring your variables global? At Carnegie > Mellon this is a big deal, but I see that Borland and other programmers have > developed their programs using global variables. Is it just the different > approach or is Carnegie Mellon trying to prove something by not using global > variables? What is so wrong with using global variables? > > John Cusack > Carnegie Mellon '91 Good for Carnegie Mellon! Borland enjoyed phenomenal success. I lived in Santa Cruz for three years, and I knew several of the Borland bunch. They are a remarkable group. I am happy for their them. But I can't in good faith recommend that anyone emulate the style of their published code. I think you may be astonished by the volume of responses your request will provoke. I was going to write up my own version of "Death to the Scurrilous Global Variable!", when I had a better idea. I'm going to give you some advice instead. I know I know, free advice is usually worth what it costs. But this is a real bargain! Here it is: Forget about the responses posted here. Go to your instructors at Carnegie Mellon, and ask them to explain. And do so with an attitude not to prove to yourself or them that they are mistaken. Go to them with a genuine desire to learn. Best of luck with your education. You are very fortunate indeed to be enrolled at such a prestigious college. Dave Jones 880 Fox Lane San Jose, CA. 95131 (408) 437-9700 Ext 3227 UUCP: ucbvax!sun!megatest!djones ARPA: megatest!djones@riacs.EDU