Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 08:35:31 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <199802031335.IAA27878@delorie.com>
From: DJ Delorie <dj AT delorie DOT com>
To: Vik DOT Heyndrickx AT rug DOT ac DOT be
CC: eliz AT is DOT elta DOT co DOT il, djgpp-workers AT delorie DOT com
In-reply-to: <34D6C7DF.35AD@rug.ac.be> (message from Vik Heyndrickx on Tue, 03
	Feb 1998 08:31:43 +0100)
Subject: Re: char != unsigned char... sometimes, sigh
Precedence: bulk


> I have obviously not a clear view over these bad side effects. Could you
> please fill me in, or at least provide a good example?
> I know that the gnu compiler et al. are using "unsigned char" by default
> on many platforms, where it is obviously used without problems.
> The only problems I can see are with djgpp programs specifically relying
> on the fact that "char" is "signed char", and I don't think many
> programs do that.

Unsigned char cannot hold a negative value.  SGI uses unsigned char,
and this hits me a *lot*.  Many programs test for this during
configure and use different code (or at least "signed char") to work
around it.