[Python-Dev] static int debug = 0;

[Fred L. Drake, Jr.]

Jeremy Hylton writes:
 > The change is redundant, as several people pointed out, because the C
 > std requires debug to be initialized to 0.  I didn't realize this.
 > Inadvertently, however, I made the right change.  The preferred style
 > is to be explicit about initialization if other code depends on or
 > assumes that it is initialized to a particular value -- even if that
 > value is 0.

  According to the BDFL?  He's told me *not* to do that if setting it
to 0 (or NULL, in case of a pointer), but I guess that was several
years ago now (before I went to CNRI, I think).
  I need to get a style guide written, I suppose!  -sigh-
  (I agree the right thing is to use explicit initialization, and
would go so far as to say to *always* use it for readability and
robustness in the face of changing code.)


  -Fred

-- 
Fred L. Drake, Jr.  <fdrake at beopen.com>
BeOpen PythonLabs Team Member