On Tue, 2006-06-06 at 14:31, Martin Alterisio wrote:
> 2006/6/6, Robert Cummings <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> >
> > On Tue, 2006-06-06 at 14:06, Martin Alterisio wrote:
> > > 2006/6/6, Robert Cummings <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> > > >
> > > > > > You must have missed this post:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > http://marc.theaimsgroup.com/?l=php-general&m=114945456908350&w=2
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > Yes, I haven't read that post. That algorithm has an error, an
> > overflow
> > > > on a
> > > > > signed char, and that's implementation issue not a design issue.
> > > >
> > > > Actually it's a design issue. C uses a numeric datatype that is bound
> > by
> > > > a specific number of bits. It could just have well have been designed
> > > > with a numeric datatype that had arbitrary length. The design decision
> > > > was made to keep it close to the machine. However, the point I was
> > > > making is that dealing with fringe cases is a necessity when you want
> > to
> > > > ensure your code is robust.
> > >
> > >
> > > I haven't thought this carefully, you're right to point that is a design
> > > issue since compilers and interpreters have to take into account the
> > actual
> > > data representation in the design stage. Still, an overload is an known
> > > issue and that can be caught easily. If you assume that the ++ and
> > > comparison operator can be used with any type of object in a for loop,
> > and
> > > they don't follow the expected contrains an iterator shoud have then the
> > > problem will be less apparent, as the issue is not considered a misuse
> > but a
> > > normal function of the data type.
> >
> > So there you go, by your own words, knowing the way the system works and
> > the edge cases is integral to proper use of the language. Thus when
> > 'z'++ == 'aa' the semantics while not necessarily ubiquitous, fall under
> > the language's well defined modus operandi :)
>
> You lost me there. Can you explain it a little bit further?
You said:
"Still, an overload is an known issue and that can be caught
easily."
It follows that you need information about the overload to handle it.
It is a known issue in PHP that incrementing 'z' by 1 produces 'aa'
It follows that knowing that 'z' incremented by 1 produces 'aa' can be
caught easily.
It follows that if it can be caught easily, it can be handled easily.
Thus it finally follows your own words:
"as the issue is not considered a misuse but a normal function
of the data type"
Normal in PHP is exactly the behaviour that PHP deemed many years ago
for it to follow.
Cheers,
Rob.
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