Re: Using STATIC

[Barbara Morris <bmorris@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe Pluta wrote:
> ...
> And of course, somebody could just as easily mangle a handle as recast a
> pointer, couldn't they?  My technique was designed to prevent accidental
> misuse, not aggressive stupidity.
> ...

If a non-pointer handle is changed to an invalid one, the worst that can
happen is the wrong structure is used by your service (and even that
possibility can be reduced by using a handle with some magic number in
it).  If the handle is a pointer, there's no limit to the badness that
can be done by changing the pointer to some other storage or using the
pointer as a basing pointer.

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.