Re: [boost] Review: Boost Coding Guidelines

From: Dave (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2001-07-29 14:58:20

Kevlin Henney wrote:
>
> However, what I have found to be an issue is that where the community
> once had consistency it now has inconsistency: where once we had one
> approach we now have two. I seem to find more programmers dotting const
> in all kinds of random places than five years ago thanks to the
> qualifier revisionism movement :-(

Ah, yes, the good old days.

Consistency is comfortable. Change is scary. Inevitably any language
usage evolves. As long as it is syntactically correct, the compiler
sees no difference. As long as individual code readers can
comprehend it, they also see no difference. At least not at a
conscious level that impedes their ability to work with the code.

Does it really impede readability if an author writes "a quarter to
four" and "three forty-five" in the same paragraph? You might notice
it (especially an author such as yourself who writes in an
exceptionally clear and consistent style), but I can't imagine that
it would hinder your understanding of the point of the paragraph.

> ... I suspect that no amount of debate about
> "consistency", "logic", "revisionism", "simplicity", "readability", etc
> will change that. Hence, why I do not regard it as a candidate for
> inclusion in guidelines.

Agreed!

     -- Dave Miller