Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site sjuvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!sjuvax!jss
From: jss@sjuvax.UUCP (J. Shapiro)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re: Re: C Indentation, sloppy (??) Unix code
Message-ID: <1147@sjuvax.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 12-May-85 02:52:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: sjuvax.1147
Posted: Sun May 12 02:52:15 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 13-May-85 16:00:16 EDT
References: <9930@brl-tgr.ARPA>, <381@busch.UUCP> <5497@utzoo.UUCP>
Organization: St. Joseph's University, Phila. PA.
Lines: 26

> 
> > ...  I am not an OS hacker, and on those occasions when I am
> > obliged to look at UNIX code I am sickened by the lack of clarity of
> > the expression of the thoughts behind the code.  ...
> 
> Bite your tongue, man.
> 
> I had the (technical) pleasure of learning the Unix kernel from
> hard-copy source listings in fall of 1973, vintage version 4.
> Yes, the code was uncommented, but it was clean!!
>
> My point here:  Please do not tarnish the skills and efforts
> of `ken' & `dmr' !!  It was all of us who are to blame for
> turning that gem into the clutter it is now.

Where can I go for a v4 distribution??? V6 was pretty damn good.
T&R did a good implementation, but that us not what is currently commonly
considered UNIX, e.g. System III, System V, or 4.1 BSD or 4.2 BSD or
2.9 BSD... Current code is a mess, and I have had the (technical) displeasure
of learning it by debugging.....

T&R had a lot of good and clear ideas, which is why K&R's books are so clear.
They still have a lot of good ideas. I claim that those people currently
responsible for commercial distributions of UNIX don't have any appreciation
for the elegance of simplicity that T&R have. My initial comment stands, with
the appropriate modifier that it applies to current distributions.