Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site unmvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!lanl!unmvax!mcdermot From: mcdermot@unmvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.lang.c Subject: NULL pointers Message-ID: <652@unmvax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 9-Feb-85 00:57:20 EST Article-I.D.: unmvax.652 Posted: Sat Feb 9 00:57:20 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 10-Feb-85 05:37:55 EST Distribution: net Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque Lines: 18 The recent discussion on NULL pointers having the value 0 brings to mind a problem encountered in the days of Version 6: data was loaded at location 0 sometimes (on a PDP-11/40). If data can be at 0, then 0 can not be the null pointer if that data is to be referenced. Our solution was to make NULL be -1. This always seemed to be better than 0 (except that on most machines it means slightly longer code). I haven't noticed the problem with any current software so I guess the problem is solved (how?). --john -- John McDermott {gatech|ucbvax|convex|pur-ee}!unmvax!mcdermot Univ of NM W (505) 277-4650 Albuquerque, NM 87131 H (505) 255-7796 Merry Christmas from "The Land of Enchantment"