syntax and error-proneness

johnl@ima.UUCP (Compilers mailing list)
17 Mar 86 17:05:51 GMT

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syntax and error-proneness johnl@ima.UUCP (1986-03-17)
Re: syntax and error-proneness johnl@ima.UUCP (1986-03-21)
Re: syntax and error-proneness johnl@ima.UUCP (1986-03-21)
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From: johnl@ima.UUCP (Compilers mailing list)
Newsgroups: mod.compilers
Date: 17 Mar 86 17:05:51 GMT
Uucp: ..!{allegra,decvax,seismo}!rochester!ken ARPA: ken@rochester.arpa
Snail: CS Dept., U. of Roch., NY 14627. Voice: Ken!

Question for mod.compilers:


Has there been any formal work on what programming language constructs
are more error-prone than others? Is there some kind of "Hamming
distance" metric for grammars?


Example of what I am thinking of: Pascal's END is error prone because
if you miss one, it could be a long way down the code before the
compiler discovers it. Ada's matched ENDs are safer.


Implications: make compiler construction tools work out such metrics,
when fed the grammar.


Ken
--
John Levine, Javelin Software, Cambridge MA +1 617 494 1400
{ decvax | harvard | think | ihnp4 | cbosgd }!ima!johnl, Levine@YALE.ARPA


The opinions above are solely those of a 12 year old hacker who has broken
into my account, and not those of my employer or any other organization.




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