Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!doug-merritt
From: doug-merritt@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Speed of linking
Message-ID: <5635@cup.portal.com>
Date: 19 May 88 16:38:57 GMT
References: <8805182156.AA20275@cory.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 35
XPortal-User-Id: 1.1001.4407

Matt Dillon writes:
>Don't get caught up in the theory.... structured
>programming isn't just restrictions in the language... in fact, structured
>programming is more personal style than anything else, and language 
>restrictions can almost be ignored.  

Definitely agree; a good programmer will break the standard "rules"
anytime it is appropriate. Programming is still as much of an art
as it is a science. As long as one is well informed about what constitutes
good art! The only thing I *really* disapprove of is programmers who
don't know what structured programming is, who use the "art" argument
to justify unreadable code. And who argue interminably about the wonders
of goto's, like those windbags in CACM last year. I use goto's sometimes
(gasp!), but I know *why* not to use them in general. Same with global
variables.

One guy posted something last year in another group telling the world
that it was stupid to say that "gotos were harmful" because how else
could you write an assembler program??? Sigh...human beings are very
prone to arguing with someone's *words*, without the slightest regard for
whether or not they understand the *concept* expressed by the words.

I'm just rambling here; I'm sure we all agree on the generalities, if
not the trivial specifics.

[ Answering my apology for sounding critical: ]
>Not at all, you give me a chance to explain my philosophy!

Welcome. The important thing is for issues to be brought up, not 
to establish some (probably nonexistent) absolute answer to them.
	Doug
---
      Doug Merritt        ucbvax!sun.com!cup.portal.com!doug-merritt
                      or  ucbvax!eris!doug (doug@eris.berkeley.edu)
                      or  ucbvax!unisoft!certes!doug