On Tue, 15 Feb 2000 21:34:44 PST, "Kirill 'Big K' Katsnelson"
<kkm(a)dtmx.com> said:
I caught an assertion in signal_1(), the following lines:
if (gc_in_progress || in_display)
/* This is one of many reasons why you can't run lisp code from redisplay.
There is no sensible way to handle errors there. */
abort ();
Unfortunately, debugger crashed, so no backtrace this time...
Something wrong is going on in there, certainly.
Hacking is like building a scale-model cathedral out of toothpicks,
except that if one toothpick is out of place the whole cathedral
dissapears. And then you have to feel around for the invisible
cathedral, trying to figure out which toothpick is wrong. Debuggers
make it a little easier, but not much, since a truly screwed-up
cutting-edge program is entirely capable of screwing up the debugger
as well, so that then it's as if you're feeling around for the missing
toothpick with a stroke-crippled claw-hand.
But, ah, the dark dream beauty of the hacker grind against the
hidden wall that only you can see, the wall that only you wail at, you
the programmer, with the brand new tools that you made up as you went
along, your special new toothpick lathes and jigs and your real-time
scrimshaw shaver, you alone in the dark with your wonderful tools.
-- The Hacker and the Ants, chapter 7, Rudy Rucker