> Yes you can make a mess in any language, and careful people 
> can do a good job in any language.  However good language 
> design can make it more likely mistakes are caught and not 
> allow irresponsible programmers to do some really 
> irresponsible things.

I don't think we will ever agree on this :) but:

What exactly was your opinion on assembly language?

> Let's see some.  I find it hard to believe that whatever 
> minimal benefit the 1 line version might provide in rare 
> cases isn't far outweighed by it being used irresponsibly.  

I agree that it might be hard to find an environment that favours 
the 1-liner in this particular case, but I won't agree with a 
blanket statement that it is always wrong.

> Besides I'm not convinced you can come up with a legitimate 
> case where the 1 line version is of any real advantage.  I'm 
> no compiler expert, but I'm pretty sure that compiler 
> technology of the early 1970s would have produced the same 
> code for the two cases.

Readability! And readability depens *a lot* on the context. Comments 
that help my first-year students to understand a code construct will 
only hinder 4y students, and comments that help hem might hinder me. 
Certain (more or less obscure) C constructs are an easily recoginsed
'idom' in certain circles. If such an idom is more easily read by its
intended audience it might well be preferred over an alternate form that
is more readable by a wider audience.

Like I always try to remember my students: nearly all opinions are
context dependent. That's not bad, as long as you don't forget it!

Wouter van Ooijen

-- -------------------------------------------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products
docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
 
 

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