Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 21:06:00 -0400 Message-Id: <200107030106.VAA05723@envy.delorie.com> X-Authentication-Warning: envy.delorie.com: dj set sender to dj AT envy DOT delorie DOT com using -f From: DJ Delorie To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com In-reply-to: (tomstdenis AT yahoo DOT com) Subject: Re: malloc() problem, DJDEV 203 References: <200107022219 DOT SAA04299 AT envy DOT delorie DOT com> <200107022351 DOT TAA05124 AT envy DOT delorie DOT com> Reply-To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com Errors-To: nobody AT delorie DOT com X-Mailing-List: djgpp AT delorie DOT com X-Unsubscribes-To: listserv AT delorie DOT com Precedence: bulk > > No, there are far too many programs that expect malloc(0) to succeed, > > even if the standard allows it to fail. > > While I agree that seems practical it isn't "a good thing". Why? The standard allows it to fail, but it also allows it to succeed. Why shouldn't we return a usable pointer to a zero-length (well, 8 byte length) buffer? I'd rather djgpp not be on the list of systems that gratuitously cause problems for the user, when it's just as easy to do something useful instead.