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- Path: news.emf.net!johnm
- From: johnm@mitchell.org (John D. Mitchell)
- Newsgroups: comp.object,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.java
- Subject: Re: Java: What's the Big Deal?
- Date: 17 Mar 1996 09:01:51 GMT
- Organization: Mitchell Research
- Message-ID: <slrn4knlcc.avu.johnm@mitchell.org>
- References: <4i40ik$9dt@news4.digex.net> <milodDo5yDE.H8B@netcom.com> <314B8239.247D@netalive.com>
- Reply-To: johnm@mitchell.org
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-
- In article <314B8239.247D@netalive.com>, "Erik P. DeBenedictis" wrote:
- [...]
- >I have another observation on this. Remember how Java's lack of pointer
- >is supposed to make it secure? The rationale is that the ability to
- >cast an integer into a pointer permits "wild" memory references that could
- >be used to do some damage.
- >
- >They must have been thinking about Windows 3.1 because all other O. S.'s
- >protect against wild memory references in other ways.
-
- Hmm... You're confusing things.
-
- With a 'pointer' you can stomp all over your own 'pages' in e.g., Unix (of
- course depending on their protection) with no problems.
-
- With a Java 'reference', you cannot legally use that reference to get at
- anything other than what you've declared as it's type. This can be checked
- by the runtime 'verifier'.
-
- Take care,
- John
-
-