Xref: utzoo comp.lang.c:14688 comp.unix.wizards:13417
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!whuts!homxb!hound!rkl1
From: rkl1@hound.UUCP (K.LAUX)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Coding Standards (was Re: Indentation...)
Summary: Standards should be just that - standard
Message-ID: <2802@hound.UUCP>
Date: 12 Dec 88 18:15:54 GMT
References: <3229@ingr.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel
Lines: 27


	It's not suprizing that the Indentation Standards topic has generated
at lot of traffic ranging from "this is how I do it" to "I'm always gonna do
it My Way".

	I ran into the Standards years ago working with another person.  The
company had a written document on Coding Standards and we were following it.
Both he and I had some heated discussion on what was "better".  But in the
end we both stuck to the Document.  The result was that the software package
we were working on and which was in competition with another package finally
became the company's Standard Package, because our package was Consistent
throughout and the other was obviously Kludged together.

	The point here is that Personal Preferences just don't count (you can
always agree to disagree), and that following a Standards Document does count.
Whenever 2 or more people are working on a project, Some Form of Standards
should be adhered to.  This gets everyone 'talking' on the same level.  There
just isn't time for someone to spend trying to adjust to multiple styles.

	I liken it to people's handwriting (in script) - everyone's different.
That's why typefaces were invented - to standardize handwriting.

	So, if you don't have a Coding Standards document to spell things out,
create one and get it approved.  I never said it was *required* for everyone
to like/agree with it - just to follow it.

--rkl