Write your own tools.

The EVM, which is what executes contracts, has a public spec. It's a bytecode machine and writing a compiler for it should be rather trivial compared to x86.

There are also several other languages you can code in and there are some code verifier tools that allow you to check if your contract is good.

The problem is that despite these tools existing, even if they are used, they are underused.

Writing custom tools is not a solution for the standard professional developer. If Ethereum is to take off, it will need one of

* Little to none "get up and running" time. Custom tools don't allow for that.

* Provide such tremendous value that it is worth overcoming the initial setup hurdle.

Right now, Ethereum has neither.

There are plenty of alternative tools for Ethereum, including alternative languages.

I was merely pointing out that nobody is being stopped from improving the situation, if it was as bad as some portrait it.

To be fair, traditional "dumb" contracts written by lawyers also have exploits and loopholes. That's why we have courts with judges and juries that can make subjective decisions based on context outside of the contract. Smart contracts don't allow for that subjective judgment, and thus won't work in a subjective society.

That's a different subject. I was only addressing the notion that Ethereum the application is at risk from the code that users run on it.

I completely agree that the tools and processes for writing and testing smart contracts need to improve.