[comp.text.tex] Is WEB Useful for Typical Software Development in C?

walden@ready.eng.ready.com (Eugene Walden) (04/11/91)

   First question: is there a more appropriate place for me to discuss WEB, 
or is comp.text.tex basically it?

   Second question: how usefule is CWEB for "typical" software projects? The
normal procedure for projects done in C is to break down the problem into
modules, then have separate C files for the different modules, then use make
to make to whole thing. 
   Take, for example, a factory automation system, with 
a module that controls a numerical control milling machine, another module
that keeps track of the position of robots, etc. The idea here is that there 
would be separate executables, built by separate makefiles with many different
source files. 
   The problem, it seems, with WEB is that it is geared towards producing one
single output file. Such a slant may be O.K. for building an application like
TeX. However, if you have a complicated system with separate modules, that
must be tested at the unit-level, then at the integration level, does WEB work?
   I am very impressed with the features of WEB. What I am wondering, though, 
is, "Is WEB compatible with the 'traditional' paradigm of software develop-
ment?" If not, do any people out there think that WEB development offers a
superior alternative? 

   - Eugene Walden (walden@gate.ready.com)