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From: billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe, 2847 )
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Subject: Re: problems/risks due to programming language, stories requested
Message-ID: <8211@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 2 Mar 90 19:26:01 GMT
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From hammondr@sunroof.crd.ge.com (Richard A Hammond):
%    | | In the switching software (written in C), there was a long
%    | | "do . . . while" construct, which contained
%    | |    a "switch" statement, which contained 
%    | |       an "if" clause, which contained a
%    | |          "break," which was intended for
%    | |       the "if" clause, but instead broke from
%    | |    the "switch" statement.
> 
> Which doesn't support any conclusion other than the programmer didn't know
> the language.

   Not exactly.  There is a lack of orthogonality in that similar
   flow-of-control constructs do not terminate in similar ways.  If
   one is using the if statement, termination is automatic.  If one 
   is using the switch statement, a break is required.  It is this
   lack of orthogonality which leads to potential problems.


   Bill Wolfe, wtwolfe@hubcap.clemson.edu