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From: wfl@maxvax.UUCP (w linke)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re: C Indentation Survey Results (not long...)
Message-ID: <176@maxvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 1-May-85 17:37:44 EDT
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Posted: Wed May  1 17:37:44 1985
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>I agree 100% that keeping to a single style (at least within each
>program) is more important than the specific choice of style.  But
>this does *not* imply that the specific choice of style is unimportant.

I agree also.

>To maximize readability, use what your reader is familiar with.

The implicit assumption here is that there are no OBJECTIVE differences
in the readability of programming styles (at least, among the styles being
discussed here.)  If this is true, then there should be very little
"head-scratching" involved with reading an alternate style. After all,
code is not like natural language - no matter what the style, you ALWAYS
have to think about the individual tokens you're reading in order to
understand it.

On the other hand, if there are objective readability differences between
styles (as I believe) then the decision as to what style to use should be
made on the basis of their merits, and certainly not on the basis of
tradition or conformity with a group.  ("Its a good idea, but nobody
else does it that way...")