Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!ncar!umigw!steve
From: steve@umigw.MIAMI.EDU (steve emmerson)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: An Ethics Question
Summary: which kind?
Keywords: global variables
Message-ID: <227@umigw.MIAMI.EDU>
Date: 7 Apr 89 13:41:49 GMT
References: <1819@uop.edu>
Reply-To: steve@umigw.miami.edu.UUCP (steve emmerson)
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Miami
Lines: 16

I differentiate "global" variables into two types: "external" and "static".
Just like their namesakes, external global variables are visible outside
the compilation unit (file) in which they're defined whereas static
global variables (an oxymoron? ;-) can be easily referenced only from within 
the compilation unit.

I use external global variables *very* rarely.  I sometimes use static
global variables, rather than argument passing, from within a compilation
unit, even when strictly unnecessary.  If the unit is small enough, the
conceptual problems are small: about the same as the speed gain.  It's
a toss-up.
-- 
Steve Emmerson                     Inet: steve@umigw.miami.edu [128.116.10.1]
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"Computers are like God in the Old Testament: lots of rules and no mercy"