From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: fac41,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gidfac41,public X-Google-Thread: f43e6,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gidf43e6,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,4b06f8f15f01a568 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: 1108a1,9a0ff0bffdf63657 X-Google-Attributes: gid1108a1,public From: Ole-Hjalmar Kristensen Subject: Re: Software landmines (loops) Date: 1998/09/03 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 387420590 X-NNTP-Posting-Host: fwall.clustra.com Sender: ohk@maestro.clustra.com References: <6rf59b$2ud$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com> <6rfra4$rul$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com> <35DBDD24.D003404D@calfp.co.uk> <6sbuod$fra$1@hirame.wwa.com> <35f51e53.48044143@ <904556531.666222@miso.it.uq.edu.au> <6sgror$je8$3@news.indigo.ie> <6sh3qn$9p2$1@hirame.wwa.com> <6simjo$jnh$1@hirame.wwa.com> <35eeea9b.2174586@news.erols.com> <6sjj7n$3rr$1@hirame.wwa.com> <35f25808.2042677@news.erols.com> Newsgroups: comp.lang.eiffel,comp.object,comp.software-eng,comp.lang.ada X-Complaints-To: abuse@telia.no Date: 1998-09-03T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: ell@access.digex.net (Ell) writes: > "Robert Martin" wrote: > > >Ell wrote in message <35eeea9b.2174586@news.erols.com>... > >> > >>"Robert Martin" wrote: > >>> > >>>In any case, I note that in this thread nearly every article that > >>>advocates > >>>multiple exits evokes either readability, complexity, or naturalness as > >>>the > >>>justification. I contend that these are highly subjective things, > > >>This may be true, though I don't think[] so, but adherence to the dogma > >>you made up about "single entry and single exit" doesn't make things > >>clearer as most see it in this case. > > >"clearer", again, is subjective IMHO. > > Quite often the majority or a plurality of programmers is quite > capable of agreeing on what is readable and more easily maintained. > That isn't some kind of wild, unsubstantiated idea. Programmers have > agreed on that for years. Geez, loosen up. > > >In any case, I have not been > >recommending aherence to dogma. > > Yes you have. You have been citing your imaginary heuristic of > structured programming - single entry, single exit - more than a call > girl shouts for Johns at night. And as I said: > > [You've been palming your "single entry, single exit"] > >dogma off as some kind of officialdom. Further, he can't prove it as > >officialdom and it wouldn't matter if it was because the > >appropriateness of all heuristics depends on specific concrete > >circumstances. > > >Rather I have been describing a cost/benfit trade-off. > > And you haven't made your case on this as I see it. > > >On at least two occasions, in this thread, I have said that > >there is a time and place for multiple returns; but that such times and > >places need to be chosen well based on a real assesment of the costs; an not > >a subjective evaluation of what "feels good". > > In that you haven't proven your cost/benefit assertions, what you say > is what's "gut", and "feels good" to you. > > >>>Finally, I contend that the factors in favor of using a > >>>single-entry/single-exit style are, on the other hand, quite concrete and > >>>demonstrable. It has been shown that adhering to a structured style > >> > >>You have not shown at all that "single entry, single exit" is a > >>general coding maxim of structured programming. > > > >Well, that's your opinion. But I have cited the section of Dijkstra's book > >"Structured Programming" that talks about this; and have quoted the page > >where it is elaborated; and have summarized the discussion. It's quite > >difficult for me to understand how anyone could read the cited section and > >not agree that single-entry/single-exit is a core concept of structured > >programming. I also note that no one else has challenged that assertion. > > > > > >Robert C. Martin | Design Consulting | Training courses offered: > >Object Mentor | rmartin@oma.com | Object Oriented Design > >14619 N Somerset Cr | Tel: (800) 338-6716 | C++ > >Green Oaks IL 60048 | Fax: (847) 918-1023 | http://www.oma.com > > > >"One of the great commandments of science is: > > 'Mistrust arguments from authority.'" -- Carl Sagan > > > > Please cool off! According to Dijkstra (not RCM) single-entry/single-exit IS a core concept of structured programming. Whether you agree that it is good idea, is another thing.