Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hpda!hpcupt1!swh
From: swh@hpcupt1.HP.COM (Steve Harrold)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.pascal
Subject: Re: Indenting
Message-ID: <7020006@hpcupt1.HP.COM>
Date: 2 Oct 89 17:06:54 GMT
References: <89273.161831TRM900@PSUVM.BITNET>
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino
Lines: 35

Re: Indent style

The submitted style of indentation is neither right nor wrong, as long
as the style remains consistent throughout the program.

In industry, with programming teams, it is important that coding styles
among various members of a team be similar, so that code can be 
interchanged without shifting style gears.  In many teams, a style is
agreed to, by consensus, or company policy.  Regardless of an individual's
opinions about its "quality", his success as a team player will be
enhanced if he adheres to it.  Indeed, his performance reviews may well
include this as a factor.

Getting back to the student's submission, there are two lessons to be
applied.  First, that a consistent style is important, which he demonstrated,
and second, that it has to be an agreed-to style, which he did not.

Since all this borders on religious fervor, the best overall solution, is
to provide a formatting tool that will translate personal styles to
project/team styles.  Then we can all have our cakes and eat them.

And before this kicks off a "my style is best" debate, let me point out
the example of the printing industry.  Regardless of who writes the 
magazine article or book section, it gets printed in the "look and feel"
layout that the editor/publisher has dictated.  

It works well!  Let's learn!

--
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Steve Harrold			swh@hpda.hp.com
				...hplabs!hpda!swh
				HPG200/11
				(408) 447-5580
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