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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....