Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!aplcen!samsung!usc!henry.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars!kaleb
From: kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.wanted
Subject: Re: C program source/comment counter wanted
Message-ID: <2542@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov>
Date: 9 Jan 90 16:44:01 GMT
References: <256@dyndata.UUCP> <664@zinn.MV.COM>
Sender: news@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov
Reply-To: kaleb@mars.UUCP (Kaleb Keithley)
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
Lines: 24

In article <664@zinn.MV.COM> mem@zinn.MV.COM (Mark E. Mallett) writes:
>In article <256@dyndata.UUCP> dan@dyndata.UUCP (Dan Everhart) writes:
>>I'd like to find a program which will analyze a C source file, and
>>report the number of lines of executable code, and the number of lines
>>of comments.  This would provide one piece of information for
>>productivity measurements.  If you can help, please email.  Thanks.
>

I know managers love to count lines of code as a productivity measure; but
if my worth is a function of lines of code, then I can generate lots of
lines of code (that don't do much.)  I'm not the first, and I won't be the
last, to say that "fewer (and better) lines of code cost more then more
lines of code!"

On the other hand, if you use utilities like this for statistical purposes,
i.e. estimating lines of code for new projects, comment to source ratios,
and the like, then the tool has greater chances for providing useful 
information.

I'll get off my soapbox now, thanks for listening.
Chewey, get us outta here!
                 
kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov             (818)354-8771
Kaleb Keithley