title: Checking for null before pointer usage
body: <p>Most people use pointers like this...</p>
  
  <pre><code>if ( p != NULL ) {
    DoWhateverWithP();
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, if the pointer is null for whatever reason, the function won't be called.</p>
  
  <p>My question is, could it possibly be more beneficial to just not check for NULL? Obviously on safety critical systems this isn't an option, but your program crashing in a blaze of glory is more obvious than a function not being called if the program can still run without it. </p>
  
  <p>In relation to the first question, do you always check for NULL before you use pointers?</p>
  
  <p>Secondly, consider you have a function that takes a pointer as an argument, and you use this function multiple times on multiple pointers throughout your program. Do you find it more beneficial to test for NULL in the function (the benefit being you don't have to test for NULL all over the place), or on the pointer before calling the function (the benefit being no overhead from calling the function)?</p>