Input, Output, Assignment, Conversion

Abstract

We begin this chapter with assignment, the simplest and also the most important function. To be able to assign to a CLINT object a_l the value of another CLINT object b_l, we require a function that copies the digits of b_l to the reserved storage space for a_l, an event that we shall call elementwise assignment. It will not suffice merely to copy the address of the object b_l into the variable a_l, since then both objects would refer to the same location in memory, namely that of b_l, and any change in a_l would be reflected in a change in the object b_l, and conversely. Furthermore, access to the area of memory addressed by a_l could become lost.

The numerals were now being converted automatically from base 2 to base 10 … 881, 883, 887, 907 … each one confirmed as a prime number.

—Carl Sagan, Contact