Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 07:40:02 +1100 From: Peter Jeremy <jeremyp@gsmx07.alcatel.com.au> To: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org Subject: Re: stpcpy() Message-ID: <99Nov2.073444est.40351@border.alcanet.com.au> In-Reply-To: <ybuu2n7gg1x.fsf@jesup.eng.tvol.net.jesup.eng.tvol.net> References: <199910312349.CAA02684@tejblum.pp.ru> <ybuu2n7gg1x.fsf@jesup.eng.tvol.net.jesup.eng.tvol.net>
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On 1999-Nov-01 12:24:10 +1100, Randell Jesup wrote: > I'll bet 95% of programmers working on systems where >stpcpy has been part of the libraries for a long time don't even know that >it isn't standard. If programmers expect to write portable code then they need to know what functions are standard. > I don't know about you, but I code for systems where >cutting CPU usage by 1% can actually make a real difference in the field >and to costs. Do you also factor in the extra maintenance costs associated with relying on non-standard functionality? > While non-ANSI standard, this particular function has been >virtually standard in PC compilers for a Long Time. I don't have it in front of me, but I'm fairly certain that my Amiga Lattice C manual lists it as a Lattice extension. Given that (AFAIK) M$ C started as Lattice C, I wouldn't be surprised if it started with Lattice. Matthew Dillon or bde (as long time compiler writers) might be able to offer further insight into its ancestry. > Like I said, near the >start of this, probably for more than a decade it's been in every >DOS/Win/Amiga/OS2/etc compiler I've used I don't recall ever seeing it in a Unix library (ignoring Linux for the time being) - which is probably more relevant here. stpcpy(3) on a local Linux system states: "This function is not part of the ANSI or POSIX standards, and is not customary on Unix systems, but is not a GNU invention either. Perhaps it comes from MS-DOS." Overall, I would not like to see stpcpy() appear in libc, though I have nothing against it being included in some compatibility library. Peter To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-arch" in the body of the message
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