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- Path: news.ichange.com!newsmaster
- From: Jesse Liberty <jl@staff.ichange.com>
- Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.eiffel,comp.lang.c,comp.object,comp.software-eng
- Subject: Re: Beware of "C" Hackers -- A rebuttal to Bertrand Meyer
- Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 07:30:35 -0500
- Organization: AT&T
- Message-ID: <314D576B.7386@staff.ichange.com>
- References: <1995Jul3.034108.4193@rcmcon.com> <3taaha$p8j@ixnews3.ix.netcom.com>
- <RMARTIN.96Mar13110714@rcm.oma.com> <4i7lup$50t@news1.mnsinc.com> <RMARTIN.96Mar15105900@rcm.oma.com>
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- CC: jl@staff.ichange.com
-
- Robert C. Martin wrote:
- >... The old saying "When all you have
- > is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." is quite appropriate
- > here. The tools that a programmer has influences, if not defines,
- > the method the problem is approached.
- >... And it is certainly true. That is why it is the responsibility of the
- > engineer to learn as many languages and tools as possible...
-
-
- I'd like to ask about that. When I was learning to program (early 80s) many programmers suggested that they used C for some
- things, Pascal for others, Assembler when needed, and so forth. I've avoided that philosophy, preferring to get really good
- at one language and stick with it; that is depth over breadth. Now, nearly 15 years later, I've had to learn and use Pascal,
- Assembler, Smalltalk, Basic, Cobol, Visual Basic, Logo, C and C++ (as well as various other obscure languages) at various
- times, and so far I'm still convinced that breadth gives you less advantage than true depth.
-
- Sure, some code requires assembler, but less and less. I certainly wouldn't use Pascal or C for anything any more, whatever
- I'd do in those languages I'd just as soon do in C++. Do you honestly think it is "the responsibility of the engineer to
- learn as many languages... as possible?"
-
- Thanks. -j
-
- PS: I have your wonderful book and it is great. I bought it because I've enjoyed your messages on this forum over the years,
- and I've not been disappointed. Great job!
-
-
- ------
- Jesse Liberty [AT&T New Media Services]
- jl@staff.ichange.com ZDNet: 72241,72
- Teach Yourself C++ In 21 Days. Sams 1994
- Teach Yourself MORE C++ In 21 Days. Sams 1996
- Teach Yourself ANSI C++ In 21 Days. Sams 1996
- C++: An Introduction To Programming. Que 1996
-