From owner-freebsd-chat  Wed May 29 12:07:43 1996
Return-Path: owner-chat
Received: (from root@localhost)
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) id MAA26058
          for chat-outgoing; Wed, 29 May 1996 12:07:43 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from eac.iafrica.com (slipper119247.iafrica.com [196.7.119.247])
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) with SMTP id MAA26040
          for <chat@freebsd.org>; Wed, 29 May 1996 12:07:34 -0700 (PDT)
Received: (from rnordier@localhost) by eac.iafrica.com (8.6.12/8.6.12) id VAA01015; Wed, 29 May 1996 21:03:05 +0200
From: Robert Nordier <rnordier@iafrica.com>
Message-Id: <199605291903.VAA01015@eac.iafrica.com>
Subject: Re: Indentation styles
To: thorpej@nas.nasa.gov
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 21:03:04 +0200 (SAT)
Cc: coredump@nervosa.com, proff@suburbia.net, chat@freebsd.org
In-Reply-To: <199605291837.LAA10835@lestat.nas.nasa.gov> from "Jason Thorpe" at May 29, 96 11:37:03 am
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL24 ME8a]
Content-Type: text
Sender: owner-chat@freebsd.org
X-Loop: FreeBSD.org
Precedence: bulk

Jason Thorpe wrote:
> 
> On Wed, 29 May 1996 20:22:41 +0200 (SAT) 
>  Robert Nordier <rnordier@iafrica.com> wrote:
> 
> [ Keep me on the CC; I don't read "chat" ... --thorpej ]
> 
>  > Companies have coding style standards largely because they pay people to
>  > put up with them.  _Maybe_ a free OS project shouldn't have the same
>  > because it doesn't necessarily do to treat volunteers like the hired help.
> 
> I don't look at is as a matter of "putting up with them".  I, personally, 
> am _very_ glad that code at least _looks_ consistent.  That way, you only 
> have to learn how to decipher one "different" style, rather than N.  And, 
> if the mandated style just happens to be neat and tidy (such as KNF), 
> then you have some added polish as well.
> 
>  > I agree standards are a Good Thing, but possibly FreeBSD should rather
>  > promote stylistic diversity in the virtual workplace. :)   Mostly it should
>  > depend on how everyone feels....
> 
> See above; "stylistic diversity", in my opinion, is an obstacle to a 
> well-designed system.

Yes, I pretty much agree with all the pluses you mention.  It _is_ a matter
of tradeoffs, though.  As regards the system: a Good Thing.  As regards
the people contributing: sometimes not so much.

_If_ some are going to dislike the rigid _imposition_ of standards, perhaps
the standards need to be like the Berkeley copyright: preferred but not
obligatory.
 
For a free OS project, I think some pragmatism is needed.  Coding standards
are valuable, but people are more so.

-- 
Robert Nordier