RE: Using STATIC

> From: Barbara Morris
>
> You're right; both scenarios do involve some level of stupidity or maybe
> naivete.  But even the best programmers are careless sometimes.  Easy
> detection of programmer carelessness and limiting the effects of
> programmer carelessness are at least as important as small differences
> in execution speed, imho.
>
> I agree that the pointer technique can be safe if used properly.  But I
> don't think it's the best technique to recommend to others.

I think there needs to be a common sense threshhold at which you make these
decisions.  My C implementation of handles was done in a shop where I hired
all the programmers and I set the standards.  If I were again creating
methods to be used internally by my own development staff and I was in
control of the programming standards, then I would have no problem with
returning a pointer, especially a specifically cast void pointer, which
cannot, by definition, be used for anything.  The debugging aspect alone of
having a real pointer far outweighs the side effects.

If, however, I were letting these APIs loose on the world, I would
definitely take your cautions to heart and would use a handle approach
similar to what you suggested, with perhaps the ability to materialize a
structure along the lines of many of the IBM APIs.  Not only does it protect
the application programmer, but it protects my internals from possible
malicious attacks.  Again, I think it's a matter of common sense.

Our difference may come from our audiences.  My primary background is in
software development shops where our internals were not made public - it was
much easier, and in fact often required, for me to make decisions in favor
of speed over programmer protection.  On the other hand, when your primary
focus is writing APIs for public consumption, then I'd think your focus
should definitely be on protecting against programmer mistakes.

Anyway, it's interesting food for thought.  Your words will definitely come
up again during parts of my product design.  Thank you for your reasoned and
lucid response.

Joe