HARRIS FLAME Re: SHORT vs. INT

[Raymond D. Dunn]

In article <658 at bu-cs.UUCP> root at bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) writes:
>>From: ray at othervax.UUCP (Raymond D. Dunn)
>>
>>It is intersting to note in the discussions re short, longs etc. that
>>portability seems to be regarded as a major reason-d'etre for much
>>coding activity.
>>...
>>                                                      .......... very few
>>software projects can afford to schedule "extra" time for designing in, and
>>testing, the portability of code.....
>
>Astounding! .....etc etc.
>
>.......... Sit down and extrapolate the life span of a processor
>coming to market today (hint: it's shrinking.)*
>
>.... etc. etc.
>	-Barry Shein, Boston University
>

Astounding indeed!  Its quite amazing how people lead with their jaws!

I don't want to comment on the tone of the above flame to my posting, only
that:
	a) There are more things in heaven and earth.....

	b) The lifespan (thanks for hint) of *products* is such that
	   *every* practical shortcut (commensurate with a professional
	   product) must be taken to ensure the market window is hit.  The
	   marketing department waiting to release a product is not going to
	   take a cut in salary while you ensure your program will run on
	   the *next* piece of hardware!

Now lets try and keep things in perspective.  *Of course* their are various
nuances involved here!  Aren't there always!  Nothing is *ever* black and
white!  This medium we correspond in has (amongst many others) one major
flaw - opinions often come over as extreme (more extreme from some
contributors than from others (:-)), because what takes 30 seconds to say,
and to moderate, and to give examples of, and exceptions to, takes a bl**dy
long time to type, and usually gets distilled down into a few sparse
statements.

So for crying out load, show some respect for the intelligence/knowledge/
experience of others, even if it differs from your own, and think before you
type! (and I include myself as a target of these remarks).

Ray Dunn.  ..philabs!micomvax!othervax!ray