[plt-scheme] Disabling contract checking

On Tue, Apr 11, 2006 at 08:26:30AM -0400, Matthias Felleisen wrote:
> See that's why we want examples of where contracts are too much 
> overhead. -- Matthias :-)
> 
> On Apr 11, 2006, at 8:22 AM, Geoffrey Knauth wrote:
> 
> >On Apr 10, 2006, at 14:52, Matthias Felleisen wrote (quoting Hoare):
> >>Imagine yourself learning how to run an ocean-going sail-boat.
> >>Of course, you start with exercises on land. You wear your
> >>life vest, too. When you're ready, you take the sailboat out
> >>on the ocean, and to avoid the weight, you leave the life
> >>vests behind on land. That's what it means to run code with
> >>contracts [he said "assertions"] turned off.
> >
> >This is a great image.  Something similar happened in rowing.  10-15 
> >years ago, British authorities ruled that coxswains had to wear life 
> >vests.  In the U.S., we laughed.  U.K. coxswains complained the vests 
> >were too bulky.  The market responded with lightweight non-bulky vests 
> >that erased most objections.  The new vests work well enough that 
> >rowers too use them now for added safety when the water is dangerously 
> >cold (late winter & early spring), saving lives worldwide.
> >
> >Geoffrey
> >--
> >Geoffrey S. Knauth | http://knauth.org/gsk
> >
> >
> >

The alternative to run-time contract checking for dangerously-cold-water 
programming would seem to be formal verification.

-- hendrik