Re: problems with identifiers and keywords...

|> >Another problem is that many compilers aren't good at giving a
|> >meaningful diagnostic when a keyword is used as an identifier.


My experience is that is due to one of two causes:


        The language's syntax is a mess (e.g. Fortran or C), or is too
clever by half (Algol 68).


        The compiler uses the theoretical parsing methods, as taught to
undergraduates.


In both cases, the root cause is the failure to include diagnosis and
error handling as part of the design. I have seen:


End of statement was expected but end of statement found (Fortran).


Invalid program [the sole diagnostic] (Algol 68)


Bracket mismatch [at end of file] (C).


I regret to say that I can't see a joke in that :-(


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

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