William Chops Westfield wrote:
> > Someday we will have WP compilers (Whole Program). You just state less
> > than a dozen lines of input/output requirements and click few option
> > buttons, the compiler will create your whole program at once.
>
> Hah.  Hah Hah!  I suppose this might be possible for those "problems" that
> you can specify the Input and output requirements within a dozen lines.
> Everyone knows that programming is easier with a full set of well specified
> product requirements, but how often do you actually get that?  Not often.
> Most software is is compromise in understanding vs implementation, and
> of course it tends to evolve...
>
> BillW

(We're semi-OT here at least, folks.  So I marked it [OT].)

You mean you EVER get clear requirements from a client, folks?  <G>  I
must've been working at the wrong places!  Next you'll tell me the other
docs you're given, have some similarity to the project you're working on
<G>

Been a while since I played with these at all.  Have they improved that
I haven't heard about?  The problems I've seen with "Whole Program"
generators are,

*  Code Bloat.  A Meg or so to do "Hello World", IOW.
*  Lack of ability to solve HARD problems (Linear Math Programming type
problems, Linear Algebra problems, HDD file structures, linked lists,
recursive situations, etc. have been problem areas in the past for
those.)
*  Requirement for a lot of machine resources:  WP compilers don't often
run on an XT palmtop/laptop.
*  Non-portability:  The requirement that you generate the program AT
the WP compiling machine (I can carry an old XT laptop or palmtop to the
park and program quite effectively all day, I'd have to use a 2-wheel
carrier to drag a Golf Cart battery to power a sufficiently powerful
machine to do WP compiling - and most stuff I do's not very simple, it'd
take hours of mouse clicking.)  It's nice to know what "sun" means
sometimes.
*  Hard to recycle "libraries" of mouse clicks and drags (i.e. for
several similar but different products, you cannot share ANYTHING, have
to carefully update each identically if you can.

Not saying they're useless - just that *I* don't find much use for them,
personally.  Now, as for C/ASM, I use both, depends on what I'm doing
which is more appropriate IMO.  Tend to use more C on the PC class
machines and ASM on the PICs, mostly.

  Mark