* Peter Fitzsimmons got everyone's attention by mumbling this to Martin Pollard:

 PF> * Original Area: Netmail
 PF> * Original From: Scott Dudley (1:249/106.1)
 PF> * Original To  : Peter Fitzsimmons (1:259/414)

 MP> stupid status messages all over the place ("MsgAPI init",
"MsgAPI
 MP> terminated", "MsgAPI opened area", "MsgAPI
closed area", ad nauseum).

 SD> In normal operation, it should only print "MsgAPI init"
and "MsgAPI
 SD> termination" messages.

In normal operation, it *shouldn't print anything at all*.  That's the whole
point.  Programming libraries have no business producing any output, unless
such output is dictated by the programmer.

 SD> If MsgAPI ever prints out "MsgAPI closed an open area", one of two
 SD> things has happened:

Hmmm... I admit that I never considered this point.  I'm willing to concede
on this aspect; for circumstances like an abnormal program termination, such
messages make sense.

However... :-)

 MP> would clutter up our formerly elegant-looking programs with such slop?

 SD> What is so inelegant about a one line start-up message?  Most programs
 SD> do this in some form or another, whether it be a copyright message,
 SD> trademark notice, or something similar.

"Most programs" that "do this in some form or another"
are doing so UNDER
CONTROL OF THE AUTHOR OF THE PROGRAM.  For a library or DLL to do this,
without any control by the author of the program using it, is a different
matter altogether.  If Scott truly believes that there is nothing wrong with
forcing a programmer to put up with uncontrolled and unwanted output from a
programming library, then I respectfully submit that Scott has been out of
touch with the programming community for far too long.

                           -=[> Martin Pollard <]=-

... I pressed REDIAL on a brand new phone and it had a nervous breakdown.
--- OMX/Blue Wave v2.20f OS2 Beta