Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mit-eddie.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!think!mit-eddie!smh From: smh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Steven M. Haflich) Newsgroups: net.lang Subject: Re: Reading programs left-to-right. Message-ID: <4930@mit-eddie.UUCP> Date: Sun, 11-Aug-85 11:12:03 EDT Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.4930 Posted: Sun Aug 11 11:12:03 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Aug-85 03:46:03 EDT References: <6571@boring.UUCP> Reply-To: smh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Steven M. Haflich) Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA Lines: 15 On the merits of coding assignment operations:= The argument that this saves work for the compiler is uncompelling. However, code readability is crucial. Code is typically left justified, modulo indentation for block structure, but the right margin is ragged. Placing the assignment target at the block-justified left margin facilitates answering questions like "When was this variable last set?" Also, remember that any argument that assignment should be notated in execution order (for benefit of either mechanical or human reader) would seem to extend to parentheses. The logical conclusion is that all code should be written in reverse Polish. True, that simplifies compilers, but....