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From: ncramer@bbn.com (Nichael Cramer)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp
Subject: Re: Matching Parens (was Virtues of LISP Syntax?)
Message-ID: <59653@bbn.BBN.COM>
Date: 26 Sep 90 17:36:56 GMT
References: <12558@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Sender: news@bbn.com
Reply-To: ncramer@labs-n.bbn.com (Nichael Cramer)
Lines: 41

lynch@aristotle.ils.nwu.edu (Richard Lynch) writes:
>  .... [Suggested indentation rules] ....
>  A.  In the same line as the open parenthesis.
>  B.  In the same column as the open parenthesis.
>  .... [Example deleted] ....

First, a comment: any decent editor (e.g. Zmacs) will negate (certainly
severly lessen) the need for this sort of thing.  *However*, I do realize
that among our brethren and sistern are poor souls caught in the bowels of
*NIX and other such precambrian systems where, through no sin of their own,
such contortions are necessary.

That off my chest, I would only make one suggestion: that you change Rule B
to read:

>  B.  In the same column plus one as the open parenthesis.

For example

  (YU-SHIANG-KITTY
   ARG-1
   ARG-2
   )

Among the reasons for this are:

 o It avoids having a close parentesis in the first column, which can
   potentially screw up the way some editors do things like count number
   of forms in a buffer, etc. (Indeed it is typically A GOOD THING not to
   have anything in the first column except the opening paren of a top 
   level form or a comment.)

 o It "indicate" where a next argument would go --i.e. you wouldn't line
   the args up with opening parentheses.

 o Among code that I've seen, this seems to be more standard than your 
   Rule B.

Cheers
NICHAEL  
nichael@bbn.com  --  Forward Quarter Guard and Captain, BBN Calvin Ball Team.