chip@tct.com (Chip Salzenberg) (04/04/91)
Jim has well demonstrated his prejudice against C in the referenced article. I couldn't have gotten a more completely close-minded reply had I asked for it. According to jls@rutabaga.Rational.COM (Jim Showalter): >If the only people using a tool are incompetent, then what does it matter >if the tool itself is value-neutral? Isn't it obvious that "current users" and "future users" are not necessarily the same groups? >Shouldn't one judge a tool by the quality of the work produced through >its use? How else, in fact, WOULD you judge a tool? I judge a tool by how I would use it. ("How else", indeed!) -- Chip Salzenberg <chip@tct.com>, <uunet!pdn!tct!chip> Brand X Industries Custodial, Refurbishing and Containment Service When You Never, Ever Want To See It Again [tm]
jls@rutabaga.Rational.COM (Jim Showalter) (04/10/91)
>Jim has well demonstrated his prejudice against C in the referenced >article. From Webster's New Twentieth Century Unabridged, 2nd Edition: "prejudice 1. a judgement or opinion formed before the facts are known; preconceived idea 2. a judgement or opinion held in disregard of facts that contradict it" I wrote exclusively in C on UNIX boxes for 7 years. I've taught classes in C. I've done consulting work with a very large telecommunications company in C and C++. I've stared the code for the UNIX kernel square in the face. In short: I have sufficient experience with the C programming language to form judgements and opinions regarding it that are NOT formed before the facts are known, are NOT preconceived ideas, and are NOT held in disregard of facts that contradict them. In sum: I'm not prejudiced, I'm EXPERIENCED. English: learn it or regret it. P.S. Contrast my experience with C and the judgements/opinions formed thereby with Ted "I Live In The Real World" Holden's total lack of experience with Ada and the judgements/opinions formed thereby. The former is an example of experience. The latter is an example of prejudice. One should try whenever possible to emulate the former, not the latter. -- * The opinions expressed herein are my own, except in the realm of software * * engineering, in which case I borrowed them from incredibly smart people. * * * * Rational: cutting-edge software engineering technology and services. *