volatile (in comp.lang.c)

[Ray Dunn]

In article <1001 at ima.ISC.COM> johnl at ima.UUCP (John R. Levine) writes:
>.....                   The question is whether it belongs in ANSI C,
>which purports to be a standard for a language for portable programs.
>.....

ANSI C surely does not purport to be any such thing.

ANSI C standardizes the language to enable portability to be easier to
achieve *IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE*.

Am I to be forbidden from writing my UNIX device drivers for my Brand X
machine in 'C' because they are not portable, and were never intended to be
portable?

Jeesh!  I've posted one or two comments about the inappropriateness of
portability as the main reason d'etre in much programming activity, but I
never thought I would have to refute an attempt to say that 'C' was only a
language for portable programs!!

-- 
Ray Dunn.                      |   UUCP: ..!{philabs, mnetor}!micomvax!ray
Philips Electronics Ltd.       |   TEL : (514) 744-8200   Ext: 2347
600 Dr Frederik Philips Blvd   |   FAX : (514) 744-6455
St Laurent. Quebec.  H4M 2S9   |   TLX : 05-824090