Article View: comp.std.c
Article #2667Re: Definition of "conforming"
From: Doug Gwyn
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 1991 23:41
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 1991 23:41
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In article <18160@crdgw1.crd.ge.com> volpe@camelback.crd.ge.com (Christopher R Volpe) writes:
-Here's an interesting question on terminology. Section 1.7 states
-that "A conforming program is one that is acceptable to a conforming
-implementation." Now, does that mean that THERE MUST EXIST at least
-one conforming implementation that accepts it, or that it is possible
-that an implementation accept it and still be conforming? (I assume that
-"accept" means "generate code without issuing any diagnostics", otherwise
-any program could be a conforming program)
No, the only use for "conforming program" is political -- we didn't
want to say that correct but implementation-dependent programs could
not be "conforming" in some sense. The useful distinction is between
programs that are STRICTLY conforming and those that are not.
-For example, suppose when given the following program
- #include <stdio.h>
- int main(void)
- {
- printf("Hello world\n\n\n\n");
- return 0;
- }
-every compiler in existance outputted a diagnostic:
-"foo.c: Warning: Your fly is open"
-Would this program be non-conforming because no compiler accepts it?
-Or would it be conforming because it's *possible* for a conforming
-implementation to accept it?
?? That's a strictly conforming program, so every conforming
implementation will accept it. The set of strictly conforming
programs is a subset of the set of conforming programs.
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!boingo.med.jhu.edu!haven!adm!smoke!gwyn From: gwyn@smoke.brl.mil (Doug Gwyn) Newsgroups: comp.std.c Subject: Re: Definition of "conforming" Message-ID: <15680@smoke.brl.mil> Date: 2 Apr 91 23:41:26 GMT References: <18160@crdgw1.crd.ge.com> Organization: U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory, APG, MD. Lines: 30