Re: Smashing the Stack: prevention?

[jrvalverde () SAMBA CNB UAM ES (J.R.Valverde)]

[NOTE to the moderator: this is a response to a private mail The
reason I submit it is that I want to correct a mistake on a previous
post and shortly expand on it.

On 29-APR-1997 00:36:12.59 delznic () acm org wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Apr 1997, J.R.Valverde (jr) wrote:
> > If rewriting code, or developing a better new system bothers you as
> > too much work, reading Tannenbaum's works on Oberon may prove a good
> > lecture.
> ...
> Can you tell me where I can find these?

        First, let me apologize. I wrote in a hurry and made a *terrible*
mistake. It was Niklaus Wirth and *not* Andy Tannenbaum who was involved
in the Oberon system.

        The interesting bit on it is that it was developed between he
and Jurg Gutknecht over 1986-1989. They made a language, its compiler
and a full operating system -windowing, networking and tools included-.
This is (IMHO) a good demonstration that building a rich system does
not necessarily imply so much work if good design principles are held.

        A good reference on software design principles is

A plea for lean software. (1995) Niklaus Wirth. Computer, vol 28-2

        About Oberon, the main reference (IMHO) is this book:

N. Wirth and J. Gutknecht: Project Oberon. The Design of an Operating
System and Compiler.
Addison Wesley, 1992, ISBN 0-201-54428-8.

        As for security, I often wonder while swimming in code if
most of the problems wouldn't have been easier to avoid with a simpler
design and clearer concepts about what a software piece/tool has to do.


                                jr