Re: [PATCH] coding style addendum

Tommy Reynolds (reynolds@redhat.com)
Mon, 10 Mar 2003 16:07:43 -0600


Uttered Luben Tuikov <luben@splentec.com>, spoke thus:

> References:
> [1] ``The Elements of Programming Style'' by Kernighan
> and Plauger, 2nd ed, 1988, McGraw-Hill.

Keep in mind the date here. Prior to this time, subroutines were the
packaging technique of choice to promote "software reuse": i. e.,
reference the _same_ code in various places throughout a program. K&P
were espousing a fundamental shift in thinking by using subroutines as
functional abstractions. Using your argument that the example code
hides an "implementation", it's difficult to conceive of a code example
that hids neither its data nor its implementation.

I'd suggest an alternate tack:

"When you are deep in the programming 'zone' and code is flowing
from your fingertips and you are amazed at the insight and
understanding evidenced by your code:

STAND UP! MOVE AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD! GO HOME!

Look at the code again tomorrow and see if it makes any sense to
you then."

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