Re: Boost.Threads draft library submission

From: williamkempf_at_[hidden]
Date: 2001-03-17 09:55:27

--- In boost_at_y..., "David Abrahams" <abrahams_at_m...> wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Beman Dawes" <bdawes_at_a...>
> 
> >  >...and keeping in mind that names beginning with underscores are
> reserved
> >
> >  >to the implementation in the global namespace (17.4.3.1.2)...
> >
> > Yes.  My comment applied only to member names, which was the 
context of
> the
> > original question.
> 
> I realize that. Call me superstitious, but I get nervous around 
names I have
> to remember not to use in certain contexts. Sort of like the sailor 
talk you
> use with your drinkin' buddies but will get you thrown in the brig 
at home.

That's precisely why I thought I'd entertain comments.  There are 
five styles I've seen used, each rubs me wrong for different reasons:

m_name: This makes the variable name longer and harder to read to me, 
even though coming from the MS world I'm very used to it.  I just 
don't like the embedded underscore here.  This is awfully nit picky, 
yes, so when I do use warts this is often the one I use.

mname: Fully unreadable.

mName: Readable, but I prefer not using mix case, which I believe was 
mentioned in the Boost guidelines as well, though I could be 
remembering this wrong.

_name:  As Dave pointed out this is only safe in the context of class 
variables.  Granted, that's precisely what the wart is supposed to 
indicate, but it still feels wrong to use a wart that's restricted in 
some cases.

name_: Don't know why, but this one really bugs me.  It looks like 
someone just didn't finish typing out the variable name here.

None of these are valid reasons to not use them (or any other wart 
for that matter), it just shows why I've had problems settling on one 
that I care to use.  If Boost developers used one consistently (or at 
least almost so) than I'd be able to put aside my aversions and just 
use them, defering to someone else's opinion.  But since it's fully 
an individual's preference, I don't like any of them ;).

Bill Kempf