1/14    Why is NULL defined to be "0" in C++ instead of "((void *) 0)" like in
        C?  I have some overloaded functtions where one takes an integer
        parameter and the other a pointer parameter.  When I call it with
        "NULL", the compiler matches it with the integer version instead of
        the pointer version which is a problem.  Other funny effect is that
        sizeof(NULL) is different from sizeof(myPtr).  Thanks.
	...

4/04    Is there a good way to diff 2 files that consist of columns of
        floating point numbers, such that it only tells me if there's a
        difference if the numbers on a given line differ by at least a given
        ratio?  Say, 1%?
        \_ Use Excel.
           1. Open foo.txt in Excel.  It should convert all numbers to cells in
	...

4/29    Why were C and Java designed to require "break;" statements for a
        "case" section to terminate rather than falling-through to the next
        section?  99% of the time poeple want a "case" section to terminate.
        In fact some compilers issue warning if there is no "break;" statement
        in a "case" section.  Why not just design the languages to have
        termination as the default behavior, and provide a "fallthru;"
	...

7/19    In C or C++, how do I write the code of a function with variable
        number of parameters in order to pass the variable parameters to
        another function that also has variable number of parameters?  Thanks.
        \_ The usual way (works on gcc 3.0+, Visual Studio 2005+):
               #define foo(fmt, ...) printf(fmt, ##__VA_ARGS__)
           The cool new way (works on gcc 4.3+):
	...

3/7     I have a C question.  I have the following source code in two identical
        files t.c and t.cpp:
                #include <stdlib.h>
                int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                  const char * const * p1;
                  const char * * p2;
	...

2/4     random C programming/linker fu question.  If I have
        int main() { printf("%s is at this adddr %p\n", "strlen", strlen); }
        and soda's /proc/sys/kernel/randomize_va_space is 2 (eg; on)
        why is strlen (or any other libc fn) at the same address every time?
        \_ I don't pretend to actually know the right answer to this, but
           could it have something to do with shared libraries?
	...

2/12    I need a way to make a really big C++ executable (~200MBs) that does
        nothing.  No static initialization either.  Any ideas?
        \_ static link in lots of libraries?
        \_ #define a   i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0; i=0;
           #define b   a a a a a a a a a a
           #define c   b b b b b b b b b b
	...

9/28    http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html
        Java is #1!!! Followed by C, PHP, C++, Visual Basic, Perl,
        C#, Python, Javascript, then finally Ruby. The good news is
        Pascal is going waaaay back up!
        \_ C is still more popular than C++?  I feel much better about myself
           now.
	...

8/6     In C one can do "typedef int my_index_t;".  What's the equivalent in
        C#?  Thanks.
        \_ C#? Are you serious? Is this what the class of 2009 learn?
           \_ No.  I have to learn .NET code at work.  I am Class of '93.
           \_ python is what 2009 learns, see the motd thread about recent
              cal courses and languages
	...

7/20    For those who care btw, it looks like eclipse is now A Standard Tool
        at UCB ugrad cs, probably replaced emacs.  Furthermore, people get
        angry at seeing Makefiles, (since eclispe takes care of that).  I
        guess it's just a sign of the times.
        \_ The more people at my work use eclipse the less the code is
           managable in emacs.  I'm not sure which application's fault
	...

7/28    So, I'd like to try playing with a functional language.  Any
        recommendations?
        \_ Haskel.  Why would you start with anything else?
        \_ Haskell if you want a _functional_ language.  Ocaml if you want to
           see what a proper language implementation looks like.  LISP if
           you want old fogies to think you are cool. -- ilyas
	...

7/15    Is it possible through JNI to write a function which takes a float[]
        array and through the magic of c casts it to an int array and then
        returns the int array to Java, not modifying the actual data?
        If not, is there a good Java way to do the C equivalent of:
        int* i = (int*) f; ?
        Don't ask whether I really need to be doing this because there is a
	...

6/21    My math and/or perl fu is weak. Is there a way to get integer
        multiplication in Perl the way it's done in C? i.e. limiting
        to 32 bits. Like 1588635697 * 1117695901 = 1166976269 in C.
        \_ Can't you just multiply and then mask all but the last 32 bits?
           \_ I don't think so; that's not the same as mult overflow.
              > perl -e 'print (1588635697 * 1117695901)'
	...

9/9     Why are there so much politics on the motd? Isn't this the
        CSUA? Doesn't the C stands for something computer??
        \_ Its stands for Computer Stuff and Unrelated Arguing
           \_ Golf clap.
              \_ I didn't know there even was such a thing as a golf ho,
                 and you're telling me they've got their own VD's?
	...

7/1     Using sed, how do I do the following?  I want to replace the
        first line containing a particular pattern with the 2nd line
        containing said pattern.  For example, if "line" is the pattern,
        then I want
                this is the 1st line
                this is the 2nd
	...

6/25    What percent of security holes would be solved by banning strcpy()
        in favor of strncpy()?
        \_ probably not much, since they're all coming to be php bugs these
           days.
        \_ Or using Java instead of C (no buffer overrun)?
                \_ It is not always possible to use java. I have customers
	...

5/21    I was not a CS major and never took the compiler class.  What is
        a good book to help me write a compiler?  And what about interpreter?
        Do they basically involve the same issues except code generation and
        optimization?
        \_ Use the book by Robert Mak, called "Writing Interpreters and
           Compilers in C++." It's a practical, hands-on "lab" type book which
	...

5/11    To FP activists on the motd, if currying is such a great idea, why
        it's not implemented symmetrically in say Caml?  It seems more
        natural to treat the arguments of a function more symmetrically.
        \_ If by 'symmetric' you mean that if, for example, I have a function
           f of two arguments a and b, I should be able to curry on either
           a or b, then Ocaml does this using labeled arguments.  Caml does
	...

4/30    Quick C++ question. In Meyer's More Effective C++, Item 22, he has
        a snippet of code like this:
        template<class T>
        const T operator+(const T& lhs, const T& rhs)
        {
          return T(lhs) += rhs;
	...

3/3     I feel like messing with Scheme. I forgot all my CS61A. Do we have
        a scheme program here, and how do I run it?
        \_ type 'scm'
           \_ thanks.
        \_ if you want to dabble in common lisp, you can download an
           evaluation version at http://www.franz.com
	...