Re: Ada Operators in 9x

[cis.ohio-state.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!sgiblab!a2i!dhesi@ ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Rahul Dhesi)]

In <205bsdINNbca@umbc4.umbc.edu> berman@umbc.edu (Mike Berman) writes:

>While machines
>excel at tracking minute details, I prefer not having to keep track of
>both identifier spelling and permutations of case when reading someone
>else's code.

If an identifier spelled FRED in one place is spelled Fred elsewhere,
it's either a problem of a symptom of problems.

- The programmer is typing carelessly;  did he make other errors
  that are not so benign?
- Different programmers are using different coding styles;  are they
  also using different conventions for a boolean flag?
- Did the programmer want two variables with related meanings,
  and forget to declare both, and got just one instead?

I don't know of any examples where inconsistent use of case improves
code.  I do know of many examples when multiple related identifiers can
be distinguished by case and it makes the code more readable.

Case-insensitivity of a language is nice when writing documentation for
it.  It helps differentiate between terminal and nonterminal symbols:

   If you want to select between two possibilities, use IF.

(However, oops!  There goes our convention of using keywords in
lowercase.)

The careful use of quote marks (and highlighting in rich text)
can achieve the same effect:

   If you want to select between two possibilities, use ``if''.
-- 
Rahul Dhesi <dhesi@rahul.net>
also:  dhesi@cirrus.com