Comments on: Static Cling http://www.programmersparadox.com/2008/02/19/static-cling/ Is anything I write real? Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:45:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Mark http://www.programmersparadox.com/2008/02/19/static-cling/#comment-108 Mark Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:19:02 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/2008/02/19/static-cling/#comment-108 Tom - With the likes of Erlang and other functional languages, static state isn't even an issue since it doesn't exist and the programmer therefore doesn't even have to think about constructs such as share memory and semaphores. While on a small level it can be easy to manage share state, as applications scale bugs in shared state can become incredibly difficult to deal with it, and I think it is an area many programmers are weak in. I think there are two options to deal with this: either eliminate shared state, or else do a much better job teaching how to manage shared state than is currently done. Option one seems like the much easier option to achieve. Tom -

With the likes of Erlang and other functional languages, static state isn’t even an issue since it doesn’t exist and the programmer therefore doesn’t even have to think about constructs such as share memory and semaphores.

While on a small level it can be easy to manage share state, as applications scale bugs in shared state can become incredibly difficult to deal with it, and I think it is an area many programmers are weak in.

I think there are two options to deal with this: either eliminate shared state, or else do a much better job teaching how to manage shared state than is currently done. Option one seems like the much easier option to achieve.

]]> By: Tom R http://www.programmersparadox.com/2008/02/19/static-cling/#comment-105 Tom R Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:01:02 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/2008/02/19/static-cling/#comment-105 Static Variables have real uses in multi-threaded applications where shared memory is needed to relay information. Like many things in Computer Science, tools such as static can be abused - but only because the developer who leveraged the technology didn't know what they were doing. If you develop static/shared memory code with either "write once, ready many" or mutex/semaphores in mind - its fairly safe and easy to manage. Static Variables have real uses in multi-threaded applications where shared memory is needed to relay information. Like many things in Computer Science, tools such as static can be abused - but only because the developer who leveraged the technology didn’t know what they were doing.

If you develop static/shared memory code with either “write once, ready many” or mutex/semaphores in mind - its fairly safe and easy to manage.

]]> By: Kevin Smith http://www.programmersparadox.com/2008/02/19/static-cling/#comment-104 Kevin Smith Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:23:35 +0000 http://www.programmersparadox.com/2008/02/19/static-cling/#comment-104 Static state is so bad that I refuse to use it 9 times out of 10. I have scars from dealing with at least 3 of the six reasons listed (concurrency, re-entrancy, memory management for those who care). Static state is so bad that I refuse to use it 9 times out of 10. I have scars from dealing with at least 3 of the six reasons listed (concurrency, re-entrancy, memory management for those who care).

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