Re: specifications (was Re: Languages: The Bigger the Uglier)

Jeff Jackson <jgj@ssd.hcsc.com> wrote:
>I've always felt that language standards should be issued as an
>implementation. That way there would never be any question as to what
>was the right interpretation. You try it on the standard
>implementation and whatever it does is the correct interpretation of
>whatever written description is produced to accompany the standard.


This could only work if the language has no implementation-defined
features, and no non-determinism. Pretty much *all* languages do have
these, things, so the idea of using a standard implementation won't
work. Or, perhaps I should say, "doesn't completely solve the
problem".


- Bob


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