Re: Ichbiah 2022 compiler mode

"Lioneldraghi" <lionel.draghi@free.fr> wrote in message
news:vk4uee$3lfp0$1@dont-email.me...
...

Le 06/09/2024 � 02:03, Randy Brukardt a �crit :

(3) A number of syntax options are eliminated. Matching identifiers are
required at the end of subprograms and packages. Initializers are always
required (<> can be used if default initialization is needed). Keyword
"variable" is needed to declare variables (we do not want the worst
option
to be the easiest to write, as it is in Ada).

>
Why are you considering variables worst than constants?
>
I don't want the the "worst" option to be the easiest to write, but
neither do I want to put one more keyword in the most common case.

A lot of "variables" in code actually are only written once. In Ada, those
are better modeled as constants. A constant tells the reader that the value
doesn't change during the life of the object, which is easier for analysis
(both human and machine).

Secondly, I am assuming that automation is helping to write a lot of code.
"One more keyword" is irrelevant in terms of creating code, the only
question is whether it hurts readability. I prefer to have most things
written explicitly (but not to the point of noise, of course). That seems
especially true if the code is being written by a program and mostly you are
trying to figure out why it doesn't work!

Note that :
1. I have no statistics, but it seems to me that there is more variables
than constants in my code.

But how many of them *have* to be variables vs. the number that just are
because it is easier? I know I have a number of the latter.

2. I say "Useless" from my coder point of view, I dont know if it simplify
the work for compiler or tools implementers.

Constants do help the compiler generate better code, although a lot of the
benefits can be gained also by working harder. (That's what C compilers do,
after all.)

               Randy.