Complexity of reallocating storage (was users command crap)

[Dan Bernstein]

In article <1123 at gistdev.gist.com> flint at gistdev.gist.com (Flint Pellett) writes:
> 1. If you post any code on usenet, expect it to be criticized.

You're right, I overreacted. Sorry. I was hoping for some constructive
criticism, though, and it doesn't help to be told something that I had
already noted in the code.

> 2. It would be nice, if people criticizing code did so as if were a
> professional code review.

Yes. Among other things, please check the original source, and when it
has a comment like /* XXX: We should have some error recovery here! */
then assume that the author does realize that the code can be improved.

> 3. Regarding the code: I didn't see the entire example code, but from
> the ensuing discussion, I conclude that there was a problem in the
> comments in the code.  It was stated that the initialization was put
> in "for a reason".  If the comments were complete, that would have
> been obvious,

Agreed, and I think that the comment makes it clear enough in context.
Geoff, why did you feel compelled to take the code out of context?

> 4. A good maintainer (or criticizer) always assumes the original
> author did things for reasons.

Although in practice most things are done for no reason at all. :-)

---Dan