Andrew Warren wrote:
>    If I stipulate that there's nothing wrong with using
>    relocatable mode assembly, will you stop characterizing all
>    register-naming with EQU or CBLOCK as "boneheaded" and a
>    "misuse"?

No, that's not good enough.  It leaves the impression that there is nothing
wrong with absolute mode and defining variable symbols using EQU or CBLOCK.
These are really bad programming practises that are already far too
widespread, partly due to Microchip's own bad examples.  Microchip seems to
have cleaned up their act a bit in the last year or so, but there is still a
large volume of irresponsibly written code out there.  Note that there is no
absolute mode for dsPICs.

A newbie seeing a Microchip example could reasonably conclude that it's the
preferred way of writing code.  Unfortunately this is not true, but this has
nonetheless perpetuated more examples of bad code by others.  Therefore it
is important that those of us who have experience with PIC programming and
understand absolute mode versus relocatable mode and how the linker works (I
include you since you obviously understand this) comment on misuse of EQU
and the like when it comes up.  By not pointing it out, newbies again get
the impression that it's OK, and the problem perpetuates itself.

Unfortunately people tend to cling to what they are comfortable with, even
when a better way is clearly available.  I suppose this has something to do
with the hassle factor of switching from a well used and tweaked routine.
The new way is then treated like a threat instead of an opportunity, and
threat is trashed in the subconsious hope that it will just go away and our
comfortable method won't be obsoleted by the rest of the world.  I don't
have a problem with anyone continuing to use what they are comfortable with,
but it's important that newbies that don't yet have a comfort level
established with any particular method are pointed in the right direction.
Encouraging people to use absolute mode, or even just making it appear OK is
doing them a serious disservice.


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