[Info-vax] Coding with/without RDBMS

[Dave Froble]

On 10/17/2021 2:58 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2021-10-15, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>> On 10/15/2021 2:17 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>> On 2021-10-14, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>>>> On 10/14/2021 2:06 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>>
>>> In addition to what I have already said, Arne's control blocks feature
>>> indented code, while all your code is at the same indentation level.
>>
>> We must not be looking at the same code.  Did you miss the "If Then Else End If"
>> indentations?  I guess some people can go a bit wild on such, wonder what it's
>> like to read code in column 382?
>>
>
> No, but that little bit doesn't really help you with understanding the code.
>
>>>>> BTW, Basic really does like spewing its special characters onto the
>>>>> end of variable references. :-)
>>
>> Do you say that as a complaint, or just a comment.  I find such to be helpful,
>> not having to go back to check any variable declarations.
>>
>
> Comment only, as to my eyes it makes the code look a little more ugly.
>
> But it could easily turn into a complaint if I had to type them all the time.
>
>>>>
>>>> Got to ask, just what do you think a NEXT, WHILE_END, and such statements do?
>>>> Sure looks like another form of GoTo to me.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Is code within these blocks written at an extra indentation level in
>>> DEC Basic ?
>>
>> I do that when I feel it is appropriate.  Usually in small pieces of code.
>> You do that in the program mainline, and it soon becomes very hard to read.
>> I'm aware of that because someone here liked to write such code, and after
>> a dozen indentations, it gets rather tiresome.
>>
>>> It is in other languages with their control structures and it makes
>>> the code much easier to read.
>>
>> Sometimes it is just a particular person's practice, and yours being good
>> for you doesn't mean mine isn't good for me.
>>
>
> Have you ever read Dijkstra's paper on the subject of goto statements ?
>
> https://homepages.cwi.nl/~storm/teaching/reader/Dijkstra68.pdf
>
> Simon.
>

Sigh ....

Several times.  Each time I get the same impression.  Square pegs and round holes.

There are no bad instructions, including GoTo.  There is just good and bad usage
of instructions.  A well designed procedure can use any valid instruction.  One can
also write trash without using GoTo.

When anyone sets themselves up as the instruction gods, I got no time for them.

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
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