[Info-vax] Python for x86?

[Dave Froble]

On 5/10/2023 11:00 AM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> On 5/10/2023 9:16 AM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>> On 2023-05-10 11:59, Chris Townley wrote:
>>> On 10/05/2023 04:39, Dave Froble wrote:
>>>> The defaults in Basic are LONG integers and Single FP.  A number, such as 1,
>>>> is treated as a single precision FP, so that makes not being specific even
>>>> worse.
>>>>
>>>> Note, I really don't like the FP default.  Any program I write specifies the
>>>> defaults for both integers and FP.  Something like:
>>>>
>>>> OPTION SIZE = ( INTEGER WORD , REAL DOUBLE )
>>>
>>> Our coding standards insisted on
>>>
>>> OPTION TYPE = EXPLICIT
>>
>> That actually don't solve the problem observed here.
>> That only makes the compiler give errors if you don't explicitly declare
>> variables. However constants are still being of the default type defined.
>
> I am not a Basic person so not sure how much my opinion
> should count, but I think it would be nice with:
>
> $ BASIC/VAR_TYPE_DEFAULT=EXPLICIT/LITERAL_TYPE_DEFAULT=INTEGER ...
>
> Arne
>
>

The thing is, when working with any language, one should be aware of many 
things, including defaults, and such.  For anyone who doesn't intimately know a 
language to just start writing code is usually a recipe for disaster.

I've worked with Basic+, BP2, and VAX/DEC Basic since 1974.  I'm very familiar 
with the language, and still, I'm sure I don't know everything.  One look at 
Arne's code and I was immediately aware of issues.

Ok, now I can be kicked off my soapbox.

:-)

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
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