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From: reinder@neuretp.biol.ruu.nl (Reinder Verlinde)
Subject: Re: New paper, "Dylan Competitive Analysis" (draft)
Message-ID: <reinder-2702951051160001@neuretc.biol.ruu.nl>
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Date: Mon, 27 Feb 1995 09:51:16 GMT
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> 5) Some arguments seem dubious such as super C++ programmers changing
> the machine code to avoid a compile. I don't know anyone who does this.
> Guess I don't run with the 'super' guys..
> 
Well, at least that keeps me in the race for 'super C++ programmer' I
often patch out Debugger calls with a 'sw <addr> 4E71' at run-time.
(how else are you supposed to debug INITs? it is not only a matter of
recompile, but also of reboot)
Patching the files themselves is something one should only do if one
doesn't have the source, or if one is in a extreme hurry. It can be
quite useful, for instance to make a program write BBEdit TEXT-files
instead of SimpleText ones, or to make a program accept font sizes >127.
I don't think this relates to C++ or to Dylan, though. I would probably
use the same technique when debugging low-level Dylan programs. In a
perfect world, having a perfect development environment I wouldn't do
it that way, but in the current world it sure works.

Reinder Verlinde
