Learn Regex The Hard Way

Re:Learn Regex The Hard Way by YuriNiyazov on Thursday December 01, 2011 @03:43AM (#3298881)

I agree that syntax is the hardest thing. Based on my experience tutoring, I would add the following (which was surprising to discover at first): the second hardest thing is the order of evaluation. I've seen students write down

    a = do_something1(do_something2())

and be unable to explain that do_something2() actually happens before do_something1(), and to see that the code is loosely equivalent to

    b = do_something2() 
    a = do_something1(b)

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Re:Learn Regex The Hard Way by Locke1689 on Thursday December 01, 2011 @04:47AM (#3299003)

The worst is when you're teaching C and you have to explain that

    void * a = do_something1(do_something2(), do_something3());

is not equivalent to

    int b = do_something2();
    int c = do_something3();
    void * a = do_something1(b, c);

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Re:Learn Regex The Hard Way by YuriNiyazov on Thursday December 01, 2011 @05:07AM (#3299055)

Because the order of evaluation of arguments is not defined?

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