Xref: utzoo comp.lang.c:14735 comp.unix.wizards:13456 Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!netsys!lamc!well!pokey From: pokey@well.UUCP (Jef Poskanzer) Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.unix.wizards Subject: Re: Coding Standards (was Re: Indentation...) Message-ID: <10012@well.UUCP> Date: 14 Dec 88 02:36:28 GMT References: Reply-To: Jef Poskanzer Organization: Paratheo-Anametamystikhood Of Eris Esoteric, Ada Lovelace Cabal Lines: 25 In the referenced message, nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu wrote: >The general advice that I got was to, when modifying existing code, >stick to the existing style, and when creating new code, use a >consistent style. Yes, I agree with that. But I have to add one more: when modifying existing code that does not consistently use any one style, it's a judgement call. If you think you can figure out what style was intended, it may be easier to modify the code to conform to that; otherwise, you have no choice but to modify the code to conform to your own consistent style. I get a lot of code sent to me for inclusion in the Portable Bitmap package. In almost every case, I end up modifying it to conform to my own style. This is *good* code, I almost never find bugs in the stuff I get, but the indentation and punctuation usually remind me of when I used to see how drunk I could get and still write BASIC. A lot of good programmers think they have better things to do than get the indentation consistent. They are wrong, but in my case I can't be choosy. --- Jef Jef Poskanzer jef@rtsg.ee.lbl.gov ...well!pokey Fools rush in and get the best seats.