Date: Fri, 29 Jan 1999 11:02:12 +0200 From: Sheldon Hearn <axl@iafrica.com> To: Poul-Henning Kamp <phk@critter.freebsd.dk> Cc: Mikhail Teterin <mi@kot.ne.mediaone.net>, current@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: btokup().. patch to STYLE(9) (fwd) Message-ID: <90073.917600532@axl.noc.iafrica.com> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 29 Jan 1999 09:53:08 %2B0100." <2468.917599988@critter.freebsd.dk>
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On Fri, 29 Jan 1999 09:53:08 +0100, Poul-Henning Kamp wrote: > The parans have the same function as commas in most latin alphabet > based languages: to convey structure. I think you've picked the wrong analogy. The rules of the language dictate certain cases in which commas are required. Extraneous use of commas decreases readability. > The fact that vi(1) has this neat '%' feature makes complex > expressions with a couple of extra parens much easier to dissect > than if there are no parens even if they are strictly speaking not > needed for correct compilation of the expression in the first > place. > > I hope you didn't mind the commas I left out of the previous sentence, > they're strictly speaking not needed for understanding that sentence. I didn't have a problem reading the sentence, even though you left out required commas. The only thing that caused a problem was your use of split infinitive. ;-) When it comes to code, do you not agree that the trained eye knows which operators to seek to first in an expression? I can't think of an analogy in the English language, since one doesn't "seek to" commas, one simply reads from left to right. Ciao, Sheldon. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
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