ed wrote:
I've been looking at this [library]:
<spam URL snipped>
It looks pretty good to me, but I really wouldn't know since I'm not
a C programmer(yet).
Two and a half megabytes zipped, on a dialup. Ouch.
I was going to give you the lowdown on some of the code's problems, but I'm
not allowed:
** This file contains valuable trade secrets and proprietary
** assets of Windbase Software Inc. Embodying substantial
** creative efforts and confidential information. Unauthorized
** use, copying, decompiling, translating, disclosure or
** transfer, of any kind, is strictly prohibited.
The first sentence is nonsense, of course; the file /can't/ contain valuable
trade secrets if they let anyone and everyone download the thing from their
web site. But the bottom line appears to be that they don't want me to use
their stuff.
I'm not allowed to translate it, so compilation (which is translation) is
out. Just as well, since it hasn't a hope in hell of building on my system
without some serious hacking around.
Disclosure - i.e. telling you the problems - appears to be disallowed.
Even downloading it constitutes making a copy (and also transferring) so,
strictly, I shouldn't have done that either, although in my defence I
didn't actually see the notice until after I'd unzipped the software.
One thing I /can/ say is this: I see no reason to bother any further with
this library, and I would advise you to do the same if you want to learn
portable programming techniques, which is what C is all about.
--
Richard Heathfield :
bi****@eton.powernet.co.uk
"Usenet is a strange place." - Dennis M Ritchie, 29 July 1999.
C FAQ:
http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html
K&R answers, C books, etc:
http://users.powernet.co.uk/eton