You can either have software quality or you can have pointer arithmetic, but you cannot have both at the same time.
Bertrand MeyerSoftware entities (classes, modules, functions, etc.) should be open for extension, but closed for modification.
Bertrand MeyerCareful as they may be, developers of Eiffel libraries will always run into cases in which, after releasing a library class, they suddenly experience what in French is called esprit de l'escalier or wit of the staircase: a great thought which unfortunately is an afterthought, like a clever reply that would have stunned all the other dinner guests - if only you had thought of it before walking down the stairs after the party is over.
Bertrand MeyerAs Mr. Nagle so competently points out, almost no one uses Eiffel; in fact until recently there were only 9 users. But now a 10th person just started, so we are holding a conference, appropriately titled the TENTH Eiffel USER conference, to celebrate.
Bertrand Meyer