What is a type error?

[Marshall]

Joachim Durchholz wrote:
> Marshall schrieb:
> > I can see the lack of a formal model being an issue, but is the
> > imperative bit really all that much of an obstacle? How hard
> > is it really to deal with assignment? Or does the issue have
> > more to do with pointers, aliasing, etc.?
>
> Actually aliasing is *the* hard issue.

Okay, sure. Nice explanation.

But one minor point: you describe this as an issue with "imperative"
languages. But aliasing is a problem associated with pointers,
not with assignment. One can have assignment, or other forms
of destructive update, without pointers; they are not part of the
definition of "imperative." (Likewise, one can have pointers without
assignment, although I'm less clear if the aliasing issue is as
severe.)


Marshall