From: David.Stagner@... Date: 2002-09-05T06:40:41+09:00 Subject: Re: School work (no, this isn't a homework problem) This is a multipart message in MIME format. --=_alternative 007702DC86256C2A_= Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" If you're expected to work with pointers, then *my* answer would be to use C. While it may be awkward and difficult for a great number of software problems, pointer manipulation is NOT one of them! C excels with pointers. And personally, i think it's good and useful to learn how to do many basic algorithms with pointer manipulation, even though it's a horrible way to do it in the real world. (Before the language police take away my license to code, remember that Knuth's classic books were written with assembly language!) Use the right tool for the job. C is a small and rather elegant language, and not difficult to use within its realm. It only gets ugly when used outside its intended domain. Oh, and if you're using C, make sure you pick up a copy of K&R (_The C Programming Language_, by Kernighan and Ritchie). It's an invaluable reference for both C and any languages derived from C. My desk seems empty without it, even when i'm not using C. "Peach" 09/04/02 04:11 PM Please respond to ruby-talk To: ruby-talk@ruby-lang.org (ruby-talk ML) cc: Subject: School work (no, this isn't a homework problem) Well, I'm a Ruby Newbie, so this question should be interesting. I somehow talked my professor at school to let me use Ruby instead of C++ for the algorithm class. Frankly, I find using Ruby much easier than C (and it's children). It just makes sense to me. In a short amount of time, however, I will have a problem. Pointers will very quickly become an integral part of our course study. To continue, I would need to do some meaningful pointer work in Ruby. Does anyone know of libraries to do such things, or are there other ways? If you could give some assistance, I'd be greatly appreciated :) I'd like to stick with Ruby, but if the answer is no I'll make do. Thanks in advance! Adam Baxter; AKA Peach --=_alternative 007702DC86256C2A_= Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
If you're expected to work with pointers, then *my* answer would be to use C. While it may be awkward and difficult for a great number of software problems, pointer manipulation is NOT one of them! C excels with pointers. And personally, i think it's good and useful to learn how to do many basic algorithms with pointer manipulation, even though it's a horrible way to do it in the real world. (Before the language police take away my license to code, remember that Knuth's classic books were written with assembly language!)

Use the right tool for the job. C is a small and rather elegant language, and not difficult to use within its realm. It only gets ugly when used outside its intended domain.

Oh, and if you're using C, make sure you pick up a copy of K&R (_The C Programming Language_, by Kernighan and Ritchie). It's an invaluable reference for both C and any languages derived from C. My desk seems empty without it, even when i'm not using C.

"Peach" <ambaxter@bulldog.unca.edu>

09/04/02 04:11 PM
Please respond to ruby-talk

To: ruby-talk@ruby-lang.org (ruby-talk ML)
cc:
Subject: School work (no, this isn't a homework problem)

Well, I'm a Ruby Newbie, so this question should be interesting.
I somehow talked my professor at school to let me use Ruby instead of C++
for the algorithm class. Frankly, I find using Ruby much easier than C (and
it's children). It just makes sense to me.
In a short amount of time, however, I will have a problem. Pointers will
very quickly become an integral part of our course study. To continue, I
would need to do some meaningful pointer work in Ruby. Does anyone know of
libraries to do such things, or are there other ways? If you could give some
assistance, I'd be greatly appreciated :)
I'd like to stick with Ruby, but if the answer is no I'll make do.

Thanks in advance!

Adam Baxter; AKA Peach

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