trb (11/08/82)
I just got a glossy flyer from Computing Technology Group - Telemedia ("our business is UNIX training"). The entire point of the flyer was to advertise their UNIX training courses. They used an ACTUAL C CODE example in their ad, enticing to us hacker types. Here it is: ----- Why won't this "C" program output the correct value? main() { float f = 2.5; printf("%d\n",f); } ----- Not intuitively obvious to the most casual observer; a good example, right? They go on to explain about different types, casting, and how C is a type-oriented language, etc... Now, let me quote further: ----- The recommended solution to the printf "problem" is: main() { float f = 2.5; printf("%d\n",(int)f); } ----- If I were a beginner, I would be as puzzled by the output of the second piece of code as I would be by the first. The above seems to exemplify the mentality of a certain portion of the consulting populace, who are more interested in raking in the big bucks than in doing a proper job. Feh. Andy Tannenbaum Bell Labs Whippany, NJ (201) 386-6491