Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 21:03:04 +0200 (SAT) From: Robert Nordier <rnordier@iafrica.com> To: thorpej@nas.nasa.gov Cc: coredump@nervosa.com, proff@suburbia.net, chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Indentation styles Message-ID: <199605291903.VAA01015@eac.iafrica.com> In-Reply-To: <199605291837.LAA10835@lestat.nas.nasa.gov> from "Jason Thorpe" at May 29, 96 11:37:03 am
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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
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