'goto" gone from computer languages or is it!

[Dwight K. Elvey]

Hi
 I can think of at least one that might
do something funny in Forth. Example:

: DoSomething
  20 0 DO
      R> 1+ >R
      I .
  LOOP ;
  
 Still, execution order is well defined. This operation
will do different things based on the Forth it
was used with but the order of doing things is
not under question.
 It might even crash the computer. This kind of thing
is usually specified to not be covered by the specifications
in most Forth standards. Usually, the release does
specify the behavior in any case.
Dwight


>From: "Dave Dunfield" <dave04a at dunfield.com>
>
>>> I think the OP's point has been completely missed (that a valid program is a
>>> inherently very definitive and detailed specification).
>>
>>  What I was commenting on was this statement by John Hogerhuis:
>>
>>> I think the programming language is the most
>>> succinct, clear, and unambiguous specification language imaginable.
>>> Almost always each construct has one and only one interpretation. 
>>
>>  Which really depends upon the language.  
>
>I agree with his statement - however in a public forum, one needs to add
>some fire resistant padding like "programming language when properly used"
>or "a valid program". C like many languages (including FORTH :-) has loopholes
>where one can create program which invoke undefined behaviour, however these
>constructs generally exist in the real world only at the hand of someone very
>new to the language, or intentially contriving an "example".
>
>Generally speaking, a programming language is more succinct, clear and
>unambiguous than many other forms of abstraction - the fact that it is possible
>to abuse it to other ends in specific cases does not invalidate that claim.
>
>
>>  -spc (And C leaves some stuff underspecified like this to help compiler
>>	writers wring performance out of compiled code ... )
>
>and for historical reasons.
>
>Regards,
>Dave
>-- 
>dave04a (at)    Dave Dunfield
>dunfield (dot)  Firmware development services & tools: www.dunfield.com
>com             Collector of vintage computing equipment:
>                http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.html
>
>
>