2006.10.06
Code Finessing
When I set out to apply CScout on the Linux kernel source code, I discovered that it failed to correctly expand a couple of C macros, causing the analysis to fail. This prompted me to reimplement CScout's macro expansion using a precise functional specification, then optimize the code's severe degradation in time performance, and finally tidy up the optimized code mess.
The work touched on many interesting subjects: correctness, performance, compiler optimizations, and readability. Although the domain I worked on is specialized, the lessons I learned have everyday applicability. You can read the full story in the article appearing in the Dr.Dobb's Portal (and in the journal's November issue).
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