Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!1.eu.feeder.erje.net!news.swapon.de!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!mx02.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Keith Thompson Newsgroups: comp.lang.c Subject: Re: Readability part I - code Date: Tue, 12 May 2015 08:31:22 -0700 Organization: None to speak of Lines: 37 Message-ID: <87bnhpg6d1.fsf@kst-u.example.com> References: <874mnojjn4.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <87r3qshwej.fsf@kst-u.example.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Injection-Info: mx02.eternal-september.org; posting-host="9be37d943435275679235b07c7947eef"; logging-data="26823"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX1+5dG4tS1lZ7VUZ9eMf2aoY" User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/24.3 (gnu/linux) Cancel-Lock: sha1:n9EauxJjCbgNC98OEuuFWnze6MI= sha1:zAb8vPO02XJ9EJx4xn0BXeBIlm4= Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.c:61905 Richard Heathfield writes: > On 12/05/15 12:54, Tim Rentsch wrote: >> I am all in favor >> of you (and of course other people in the same boat) continuing >> using syntax highlighting. At the same time I don't want people >> automatically assuming that because it helps them it also helps >> me, for that is certainly not the case (and indeed IME quite the >> contrary). > > I think the French use the expression "Vive la difference!" > > Diversity is a strength, not a weakness. Whether it's syntax > highlighting, brace style, spacing and other layout issues, everybody > has their own favourite way, and we should embracket, emparenthesise, > or perhaps even embrace that diversity. It's a tiny matter, but one > that we often blow out of all proportion; if we're going to be reading > other people's code, we should expect to be faced with code that isn't > in our preferred style or colour, and do so without grumbling. If we > are truly at a loss, there's always indent(1). On the other hand, the 8th of Henry Spencer's "Ten Commandments for C Programmers" is: Thou shalt make thy program's purpose and structure clear to thy fellow man by using the One True Brace Style, even if thou likest it not, for thy creativity is better used in solving problems than in creating beautiful new impediments to understanding. Diversity *within a project* can be a real problem. I'd much rather use a consistent brace style I don't like than work with code that mixes different styles. -- Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org Working, but not speaking, for JetHead Development, Inc. "We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this." -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"