[Info-vax] Coding with/without RDBMS

[Dave Froble]

On 10/18/2021 12:34 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 10/17/21 9:28 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>> 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.
>>
>
> That's funny...  The academic world did that decades ago.  That's
> why we keep hearing that COBOL is dead  and OOP and Agile are the
> best thing since sliced bread.
>
> bill
>

Those who can, do ...
Those who cannot do, teach ...
Those who cannot teach, write about IT, causing mass confusion ...

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