What does near intialization mean

[Chris Dollin]

If a newsgroup dedicated to C isn't an online community I'm not sure
what is.

I believe it is, and /hence/ that people learning how to find things out
for themselves using the search tools available helps that community.

I don't see the point of your intended rebuttal.

The days of 9600 baud modems being clogged up downloading posts have
thankfully departed.

And are also irrelevant, because the resources I refer to centre on
the /people/.

This isn't school, showing willing is irrelevant.

I believe you are mistaken in the consequent.

3 not very good ones.

Opinions may differ.

 

[Chris Dollin]

The guy was just asking a question. Isn't that the whole point of
these groups?

No. The point of a newsgroup is /communication/, which is not helped
by the asking of questions for which answers are /already available/
for a modest fee.

Or are they just old boys clubs where the incumbents
just look down their nose at the newbies and fire of sarcastic
potshots?

False dichotomy. And most newbies will be /taller/ than I am.

 

[Boltar]

Physician, heal thyself. So far, you have had nothing whatsoever to say
about C in this thread or in any other recent thread. Indeed, a Web search
of Google's archives reveals only two articles from you that were posted
before today, both on January 5th, one of which contains an incorrect
claim about C and the other of which contains an acknowledgement that the
claim was incorrect.

I would suggest you learn to use Google properly, its really not
difficult. Unless you never actually bothered.

Try this:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp...5a/32a95b74f04969ee?lnk=raot#32a95b74f04969ee

B2003

 

[Boltar]

No. The point of a newsgroup is /communication/, which is not helped
by the asking of questions for which answers are /already available/
for a modest fee.

In that case the purpose of this newsgroup is null and void , since by
definition the solution to all C issues is available elsewhere.

B2003

 

[Richard Heathfield]

Boltar said:

I would suggest you learn to use Google properly, its really not
difficult. Unless you never actually bothered.

Try this:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp...5a/32a95b74f04969ee?lnk=raot#32a95b74f04969ee

Ho-hum - dated yesterday, yes... okay, it was outside *this* thread, fair
point... and yes, you're begging for C help, so yes, that's C-related all
right... but really, I see nothing there to change my view significantly.
Your contributions to this group remain at the microscopic level. When
you've spent a few years giving high-quality C help here, maybe I'll be
interested in your views on the dynamics of comp.lang.c - but until then,
<yawn>.

 

[Richard Heathfield]

Boltar said:

In that case the purpose of this newsgroup is null and void , since by
definition the solution to all C issues is available elsewhere.

Consider this: "Hi folks, I'm stuck. My program works fine on the PC, but
when I try to run it on the IBM, I'm getting strange results. I've
narrowed the problem down to one particular function - just five lines! -
but I can't see what's wrong with it. In any case, it's straight out of a
C book, so it must be right, mustn't it? Also, I've checked the FAQ, but I
couldn't find anything relevant. Here's the function... and here's a
ten-line test driver that reproduces the problem."

Here is someone who has encountered a C problem, and tackled it
intelligently. She has tried to zero in on the problem, and has managed to
identify one small function that isn't working as she expects. There is no
point in her looking in her C book, since the code comes *out* of her C
book! She has checked the FAQ. We suspect she's spent a fair amount of
time trying to puzzle this out for herself. That in itself is a good sign,
as it helps her to develop her independence. But it was all to no avail.
So she has posted her problem to Usenet, along with the smallest possible
program that reproduces her problem. And in fact the chances are good that
several people here would be able to guess fairly accurately at what's
wrong, *even without looking at the code*! And *with* the code, it'd be a
cinch. It wouldn't take more than a minute to answer.

That example was actually fictional. Let me contrast it with a real-world
example of the kind we often get here. This is for real, I assure you. It
was posted on 9 April 2006, and I've marked it off with +++++++s to act as
quote markers:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey Frnds can anyone help me in this

i need a program in 'c'

PROGRAM to print NxN Matrix
9 1 8 1 2 3
2 7 3 as 4 5 6
6 4 5 7 8 9

in sorted form

please send me as soon as u can very very very urgent....
plz send me

Thanks in Advance...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I don't know about you, but I'm not fooled by the "please", or even the
"plz". This person has shown no sign whatsoever of attempting to solve his
or her own problem. If he or she can't be bothered to have a go at it, why
should we?

 

[Spiros Bousbouras]

That example was actually fictional. Let me contrast it with a real-world
example of the kind we often get here. This is for real, I assure you. It
was posted on 9 April 2006, and I've marked it off with +++++++s to act as
quote markers:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey Frnds can anyone help me in this

i need a program in 'c'

PROGRAM to print NxN Matrix
9 1 8 1 2 3
2 7 3 as 4 5 6
6 4 5 7 8 9

in sorted form

please send me as soon as u can very very very urgent....
plz send me

Thanks in Advance...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I don't know about you, but I'm not fooled by the "please", or even the
"plz". This person has shown no sign whatsoever of attempting to solve his
or her own problem.

I would imagine his problem is getting a passing grade in
an assignment. Since his approach has a slight probability
of succeeding (meaning someone may write his programme for
him and we've seen it happen) I would say he has exhibited
some sign of attempting to solve his problem ;-)

 

[Spiros Bousbouras]

Hi
I am using a line of as
char recvedValues[ROWS][COLUMNS] = {'\0'};
in my code. I get a warning as near initialization for
recvedValues[0].
I am using gcc 3.4
Can anybody please explain the meaning.

Google for it... Or RTFM perhaps.

Perhaps he did Google for it. I did and the only match I
get is this thread. As for the manual does the GCC manual
explain the rationale for warnings ? As a matter of interest
does any compiler manual do that ?

 

[Nick Keighley]

I am using a line of as
char recvedValues[ROWS][COLUMNS] = {'\0'};
in my code. I get a warning as near initialization for
recvedValues[0].
I am using gcc 3.4
Can anybody please explain the meaning.

"near initialisation" means you *almost* initialised it.
Consider "near death experience" etc.

 

[Mark Bluemel]

Hi
I am using a line of as
char recvedValues[ROWS][COLUMNS] = {'\0'};
in my code. I get a warning as near initialization for
recvedValues[0].
I am using gcc 3.4
Can anybody please explain the meaning.

Google for it... Or RTFM perhaps.

Perhaps he did Google for it. I did and the only match I
get is this thread.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q="near+initialization"

There are answers to the original question in the first page of
results.

I tend not to recommend Googling without trying it and proving
to my own satisfaction that it would be of some benefit.

It doesn't explain the real warning, but the poster didn't ask
about the real warning...

As for the manual does the GCC manual
explain the rationale for warnings ? As a matter of interest
does any compiler manual do that ?

If the original poster wants to discuss specifics about gcc,
I would suggest a different newsgroup.

 

[Richard]

Aditya wrote:
Hi
I am using a line of as
char recvedValues[ROWS][COLUMNS] = {'\0'};
in my code. I get a warning as near initialization for
recvedValues[0].
I am using gcc 3.4
Can anybody please explain the meaning.

Google for it... Or RTFM perhaps.

Why do people like you sit on a question and answer group only to
basically tell people to get lost when they ask a question?

Because newsgroups shouldn't be the /first/ port-of-call when
one needs a question answered?

Maybe. Maybe not. But the simple fact is that I have seen nothing
answered here which was not already in google. Google can throw up too
many alternatives and its nice to engage in a thread.

Mark Blumel has a history of telling people to RTFM : maybe he should
reconsider just why he is in this NG.

 

[Richard]

I believe it is, and /hence/ that people learning how to find things out
for themselves using the search tools available helps that community.

Yes, But you are not in charge of who posts what. This is a C newsgroup.
And people come here for help.

I don't see the point of your intended rebuttal.

It is fairly obvious that he is disagreeing with you. As am I.

And are also irrelevant, because the resources I refer to centre on
the /people/.

Yet these resources have plenty of time to tell people to RTFM. Maybe
they should just FO themselves if that is their attitude?

I believe you are mistaken in the consequent.
Huh?


Opinions may differ.

"Indeed".

 

[Richard]

No, its real life. Being sociable is rewarded. Being petulant and lazy
is dealt with accordingly.

Can you hear yourself?

 

[Richard]

Don't talk such rubbish. If people had work to do they wouldn't be on
here browsing the posts in the first place.


Not are you being paid to post non-replies. If you have nothing to
say , say nothing.

B2003

Welcome to CLC. There is a small but vocal group think they own the
group. This thread has, however, shocked even me. I have no idea just
who the hell this "we" is that "isn't being paid to help". It's
embarassing to read this tripe. They moan about people doing their own
research and "RTFM" (a Bluemel speciality) yet seem to have plenty of
time to come wading in, one and all, to remind someone that malloc
doesn't need a cast.... go figure.

 

[Richard]

No. The point of a newsgroup is /communication/, which is not helped
by the asking of questions for which answers are /already available/
for a modest fee.

Name one question that has been asked here recently which did not have
an answer in google or the standard.

False dichotomy. And most newbies will be /taller/ than I am.

Is there some sort of competition going on here?

 

[Chris Dollin]

Name one question that has been asked here recently which did not have
an answer in google or the standard.

Or the FAQ. Precious few, I expect. But that hardly detracts from my
argument. (One might make a /different/ argument.)

Is there some sort of competition going on here?

Oh, more than one, most likely. I'm aiming for Most Posts Which Avoid
Fixing Deprecated Interfaces.

 

[Chris Dollin]

Yes, But you are not in charge of who posts what.

This is now news.

This is a C newsgroup.

Neither is this.

And people come here for help.

I haven't claimed otherwise.

It is fairly obvious that he is disagreeing with you. As am I.

It's clear that he intends to disagree. It's not clear how what he
wrote accomplishes that.

Yet these resources have plenty of time to tell people to RTFM.

And to offer help.

(And we're hot a homogeneous lump of people, either: I think you're
conflating at least two, maybe three, bunches of people there.)

Maybe they should just FO themselves if that is their attitude?

We all make choices about what we think is best for the group
(or ourselves). I've made my reasons for my position clear, I
hope.

Huh?

The bit after the comma; I agree that this isn't school.

 

[Mark Bluemel]

Richard wrote:

And to offer help.

The two things are not mutually exclusive. In many cases, the original
poster will gain more by learning how to solve his/her problem than by
having someone-else solve it for him/her.

 

[Richard]

Or the FAQ. Precious few, I expect. But that hardly detracts from my
argument. (One might make a /different/ argument.)

You have no argument. This is a help group. People come here for help.
If the argument is that the "answer is already out there" then you might
as well close the group.

Oh, more than one, most likely. I'm aiming for Most Posts Which Avoid
Fixing Deprecated Interfaces.

Clear the mantle piece. I think that one post won it for you ....

 

[Richard]

The two things are not mutually exclusive. In many cases, the original
poster will gain more by learning how to solve his/her problem than by
having someone-else solve it for him/her.

This is a C group. Not a platform for your own brand of "how to learn".
Coming here IS RTFM for goodness sake.

If you are going to RTFM people and tell them to "try and work it out
for themselves" then you should quit helping here and take a job as a
primary school teacher.

People come here for help with C issues.

If you think its already covered extensively elsewhere and want to help
rather than to preen, then do what I and others do and google up the
best resource for that issue and post that as a reply? Don't want to do
that? Don#t reply. No one is interested in whether you personally want
or do not want to help. Others will if you do not.

It's also, unsurprisingly, amazing how many people learn by example.
Post a link from google and people get the idea quite quickly.