As I retire, my goal now is to release 40+ years of source code (dunfield.themindfactory.com)

Article summary

A retired individual is releasing 40+ years of source code, including various tools and operating systems, in the hopes that others may find it useful. The code is available for download and includes a range of projects, from an ARM multi-process kernel to a Sony VCR controller. The individual's goal is to share their work and potentially help others learn from it. The release includes a large collection of C code, which has sparked discussion about programming practices and language standards.

Main themes

• C programming language
• code readability
• compiler extensions
• language standards
• implicit declarations
• forward declarations

What commenters say

• Some argue that implicit function declarations are still useful and should be allowed as a compiler extension, while others believe they are outdated and should be avoided.
• The use of forward declarations is seen as superfluous by some, but necessary by others to ensure correct code generation and avoid linker errors.
• Modern C compilers are capable of handling implicit declarations, but may still require explicit declarations for certain use cases.
• The trade-off between code readability and conciseness is a matter of debate, with some preferring more explicit code and others advocating for a more relaxed approach.
• The C standard has evolved over time, and some features, such as implicit int and implicit prototypes, have been removed or deprecated.
• Some commenters argue that compilers should be able to automatically insert necessary declarations, while others believe this would lead to unnecessary complexity and potential errors.