Rick said:
I read a lot about "pointer mutation" measurements in C programs.
What's pointer mutation? How does it help in measuring C programs?
I'm confused
Since this is not mentioned in the C standard, it is off-topic.
We are now free to give any response we wish, secure in the
knowledge that it cannot be contradicted here.
Pointers are normally stored in memory cells, which are often
dynamic solid-state memories. Such cell contents are subject to
alteration by stray cosmic rays, thus 'mutating' the content of
the overall object into something else. This mutation together
with natural selection is the basis of the evolution of the C
language. Since memory systems with ECC are to all practical
purposes immune to such cosmic ray mutation, the C language has
made no advances on machines with such ECC protection.
A corollary is that C language advances are more prolific at
higher altitudes, but virtually never occur in deep mine shafts.
