Abstract
In the past few years there has been considerable debate over the question of pointers in programming languages. Some maintain that pointers should not be allowed, while others try to restrict their use in a number of ways. In this paper we try to justify our view that pointers are a natural and useful way to teach beginners in Computer Science to manipulate list structures, provided a group of strong limitations is placed upon them. We define pointers in SPL, a language to teach beginners disciplined programming.
- 1 Hoare, C.A.R., "Notes on Data Structuring", in "Structured Programming", Academic Press. 1972, 83-174.]] Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 2 Hoare, C.A.R., "Hints on Programming Language Design", Proc. ACM SIGACT/SIGPLAN Symp. on Principles of Programming Languages, Boston, Oct 73.]]Google Scholar
- 3 Hoare, C.A.R., "Data Reliability", Proc. 1975 International Conference on Reliable Software, SIGPLAN Notices 10:6, Jun 75, 528-533.]] Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 4 Holt, R.C., "Teaching the Fatal Disease", Report RCH-1, Dept. of Computer Science, Univ. of Toronto, Dec 1972.]]Google Scholar
- 5 Knuth, D.E., "The Art of Computer Programming", volume 1, Addison-Wesley, 1968.]] Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 6 Liskov, B. & Zilles, S., "Programming with Abstract Data Types", SIGPLAN Notices 9:4, Apr 74, 50-59.]] Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 7 Wirth, N. & Hoare, C.A.R., "A Contribution to the Development of Algol", Comm. ACM. 9:6, Jun 66, 413-432.]] Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 8 Wirth, N., "Program Development by Stepwise Refinement", Comm. ACM 14:4, Apr 1971, 221-227.]] Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 9 Wirth, N., "The Programming Language Pascal", Acta Informatica 1, 1971, 35-63.]]Google Scholar
Digital Library
- 10 Zelkowitz, M.V., "Pointer Variables within a Diagnostic Compiler", Tech. Ref. TR-343, Dept. of Computer Science, Univ. of Maryland, Dec. 74.]]Google Scholar
Index Terms
On the use of pointers and the teaching of disciplined programming
Recommendations
On the use of pointers and the teaching of disciplined programming
SIGCSE '76: Proceedings of the sixth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science educationIn the past few years there has been considerable debate over the question of pointers in programming languages. Some maintain that pointers should not be allowed, while others try to restrict their use in a number of ways. In this paper we try to ...
Program decomposition for pointer aliasing: a step toward practical analyses
Pointer aliasing analysis is crucial to compile-time analyses for languages with general-purpose pointer usage (such as C), but many aliasing methods have proven quite costly. We present a technique that partitions the statements of a program to allow ...
Program decomposition for pointer aliasing: a step toward practical analyses
SIGSOFT '96: Proceedings of the 4th ACM SIGSOFT symposium on Foundations of software engineeringPointer aliasing analysis is crucial to compile-time analyses for languages with general-purpose pointer usage (such as C), but many aliasing methods have proven quite costly. We present a technique that partitions the statements of a program to allow ...






Comments