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Groups > comp.lang.c > #7741

Re: Typography of programs

From "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: Typography of programs
Date 2011-07-06 10:14 +0100
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <iv191c$b2t$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References <iugem2$np3$1@speranza.aioe.org>

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"jacob navia" <jacob@spamsink.net> wrote in message
news:iugem2$np3$1@speranza.aioe.org...

> The typography of C remained the same, as all other computer languages,
> obsessed with the character sets from 32 to 127 ASCII codes. Then, we
> write != instead of the inequality sign, = instead of the assignment
> arrow, "&&" instead of /\,  "||" instead of \/.

That latter I agree with, those V's and up-side-down V's always confused
me...

> Programs would be clearer if we would use today's hardware to show
> the usual signs, instead of constructs adapted to the teletype
> typewriter of the seventies.
>
> Unicode now offers all possible signs for displaying in our programs,
> and it would be a progress if C would standardize some codes to be
> used isnstead of the usual != and &&, etc.

> We could have in some isoXXX.h
> #define ≠ !=
> #define ⋀ and
> #define ⋁ or
> #define ≤ <=
> #define ≥ >=

> Using ← for assignment would avoid the common beginner's error of using =
> instead of == and programs would look less horrible.
>

This sounds great but I don't think it's the way to go at present. And where
would you stop with typography? Would you also use different fonts, styles
and colours to distinguish keywords, user identifiers, and library
functions, for example?

Or have comments in italics so that you don't need that ugly /* ... */
bracketing?

A proper square root symbol? Superscripts for raising to the power of?
Subscripts for array indexing? The proper signs for multiplication and
division (and even arranging a/b vertically)? Etc.

Besides my keyboard doesn't have any of those symbols.

> All this would be done first in output only to avoid requiring a new C
> keyboard even though that can be done later. You would still type !=
> but you would obtain ≠ in output in the same way that you type first the
> accent, then the later under the accent and you obtain one character.

I think this is the only place for this sort of enhancement: restricted to
the displayed output of an editor or DTP program (and you have the problem
of modern word processors where you'd much rather work on the underlying
'markup' info, in an easy-to-change textual form, than having to directly
edit the final layout. Who wants to use Word 2011 to edit C?

(Having said all that, I admit I worked on a lexical analyzer recently that
does recognise some of those symbols! At least those with codes in the range
128 to 255 of either ANSI or Unicode (I forget which). Such as superscript 2
for the 'square' operator (a²). These look cool but I suspect they'll never 
be used and later will be dropped...)

-- 
Bartc

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Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 02:06 +0200
  Re: Typography of programs Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-29 19:57 -0500
    Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 07:19 +0200
      Re: Typography of programs Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-30 01:08 -0500
        Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 08:16 +0200
          Re: Typography of programs Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-30 01:56 -0500
            Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 09:06 +0200
              Re: Typography of programs Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-30 02:25 -0500
                Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 10:21 +0200
  Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-29 21:43 -0700
    Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 07:21 +0200
      Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-29 22:49 -0700
  Re: Typography of programs Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-30 16:59 +1200
    Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 07:23 +0200
      Re: Typography of programs Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-30 17:25 +1200
        Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-29 22:52 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-30 17:53 +1200
            Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-29 22:58 -0700
              Re: Typography of programs Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-06-30 21:11 +1200
                Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 11:17 +0200
                Re: Typography of programs Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-06-30 12:19 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 17:30 +0200
                Re: Typography of programs Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-06-30 15:40 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-30 12:02 -0700
                Re: Typography of programs Ralf Damaschke <rwspam@gmx.de> - 2011-06-30 20:13 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs "Herbert Rosenau" <os2guy@pc-rosenau.de> - 2011-07-02 22:21 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-03 01:22 +0200
                Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-30 11:43 -0700
      Re: Typography of programs Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-06-30 08:20 +0000
      Re: Typography of programs Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-06-30 17:13 +0100
      Re: Typography of programs "Herbert Rosenau" <os2guy@pc-rosenau.de> - 2011-07-01 08:52 +0000
        Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-01 10:58 +0200
          Re: Typography of programs Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-07-01 09:27 +0000
            Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-01 12:04 +0200
              Re: Typography of programs Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-07-01 12:42 +0000
        Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-01 02:05 -0700
    Re: Typography of programs "Wolfgang.Draxinger" <Wolfgang.Draxinger@physik.uni-muenchen.de> - 2011-07-01 18:10 +0200
      Re: Typography of programs Ben Pfaff <blp@cs.stanford.edu> - 2011-07-01 09:21 -0700
        Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-01 14:36 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Joe Wright <joewwright@comcast.net> - 2011-07-01 19:29 -0400
            Re: Typography of programs Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-07-02 11:22 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs cri@tiac.net (Richard Harter) - 2011-07-01 23:59 +0000
  Re: Typography of programs Ike Naar <ike@iceland.freeshell.org> - 2011-06-30 07:48 +0000
    Re: Typography of programs "Joachim Schmitz" <nospam.jojo@schmitz-digital.de> - 2011-06-30 10:03 +0200
    Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 10:32 +0200
    Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-30 01:34 -0700
      Re: Typography of programs Chris H <chris@phaedsys.org> - 2011-06-30 11:06 +0100
        Re: Typography of programs Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-06-30 16:05 -0700
      Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-06-30 14:52 +0000
        Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-06-30 11:39 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-06-30 20:55 +0000
            Re: Typography of programs "Herbert Rosenau" <os2guy@pc-rosenau.de> - 2011-07-02 22:21 +0000
  Re: Typography of programs Ben Pfaff <blp@cs.stanford.edu> - 2011-06-30 09:11 -0700
    Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-06-30 21:50 +0200
      Re: Typography of programs Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-01 08:26 +1200
        Re: Typography of programs "Herbert Rosenau" <os2guy@pc-rosenau.de> - 2011-07-02 22:21 +0000
      Re: Typography of programs Ben Pfaff <blp@cs.stanford.edu> - 2011-06-30 13:38 -0700
  Re: Typography of programs gordonb.9z4n8@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-07-01 23:16 -0500
    Re: Typography of programs Ben Pfaff <blp@cs.stanford.edu> - 2011-07-01 21:46 -0700
    Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-01 21:52 -0700
      Re: Typography of programs gordonb.e78ud@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-07-02 02:14 -0500
        Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-02 00:38 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-07-02 15:00 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-07-04 00:20 +0000
            Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-03 18:28 -0700
              Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-07-04 04:42 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-07-04 01:01 -0500
                Re: Typography of programs Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-07-04 08:15 +0100
                Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-04 00:40 -0700
                Re: Typography of programs gordonb.3nbmk@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-07-04 07:42 -0500
                Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-04 07:15 -0700
                Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-07-05 20:21 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-07-04 09:56 -0500
                Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-07-05 20:21 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-07-04 08:04 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-07-04 09:22 -0500
                Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-07-05 20:21 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-05 22:45 +0200
                Re: Typography of programs Willem <willem@turtle.stack.nl> - 2011-07-05 21:52 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs Squeamizh <squeamz@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-05 20:03 -0700
                Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-06 08:46 +0200
                Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-06 00:08 -0700
                Re: Typography of programs Willem <willem@turtle.stack.nl> - 2011-07-06 12:12 +0000
                Re: Typography of programs Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-07-06 11:10 -0500
                Re: Typography of programs Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-07-06 07:42 +0100
    Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-02 11:02 +0200
      Re: Typography of programs Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-07-02 10:22 +0100
        Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-02 13:51 +0200
          Re: Typography of programs Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-07-02 15:45 +0100
      Re: Typography of programs gordonb.piror@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-07-02 07:31 -0500
        Re: Typography of programs Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-07-03 01:47 -0700
      Re: Typography of programs Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-03 03:10 -0700
        Re: Typography of programs superpollo <superpollo@tznvy.pbz> - 2011-07-04 15:19 +0200
      Re: Typography of programs "Herbert Rosenau" <os2guy@pc-rosenau.de> - 2011-07-03 19:39 +0000
        Re: Typography of programs "Kleuskes & Moos" <kleuske@xs4all.nl> - 2011-07-03 14:01 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-07-03 14:26 -0700
            Re: Typography of programs "Kleuskes & Moos" <kleuske@xs4all.nl> - 2011-07-04 01:19 -0700
              Re: Typography of programs Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-07-04 14:19 -0700
        Re: Typography of programs Michael Press <rubrum@pacbell.net> - 2011-07-03 20:46 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-07-04 04:42 +0000
          Re: Typography of programs Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-07-04 00:43 -0500
            Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-03 23:03 -0700
              Re: Typography of programs James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-07-04 06:32 -0400
              Re: Typography of programs Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-07-04 09:08 -0500
          Re: Typography of programs Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-07-07 18:01 +0300
  Re: Typography of programs Dr Nick <3-nospam@temporary-address.org.uk> - 2011-07-02 16:28 +0100
  Re: Typography of programs pacman@kosh.dhis.org (Alan Curry) - 2011-07-02 20:52 +0000
    Re: Typography of programs Stephen Sprunk <stephen@sprunk.org> - 2011-07-04 00:50 -0500
  Re: Typography of programs "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-07-03 10:04 +0200
    Re: Typography of programs "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-07-03 10:27 +0200
  Re: Typography of programs Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-03 03:19 -0700
  Re: Typography of programs "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-07-06 10:14 +0100
    Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-06 02:48 -0700
      Re: Typography of programs "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-07-06 11:47 +0100
        Re: Typography of programs jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-07-06 14:46 +0200
          Re: Typography of programs China Blue Dolls <chine.bleu@yahoo.com> - 2011-07-06 07:44 -0700
          Re: Typography of programs Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2011-07-07 07:50 +1200

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