Article View: net.lang.apl
Article #80Readability of functions
From: Lee Dickey
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 1984 03:30
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 1984 03:30
22 lines
1652 bytes
1652 bytes
>[I'd say readability depends on your programming style. I've found if you ]
>[use *alot* of small, simple routines, with fairly mnemonic names, plus ]
>[one or two strategically placed comments, programs remain readable. Does ]
>[anyone have other comments on this? ]
I agree! Some people have complained about APL being difficult to read,
but they forget that a short 4 or 5 line program in APL can be equivalent
to a 50 to 100 line program in FORTRAN or some other middle level language.
I also notice that some APL beginners (like me for instance, when I started)
tend to write in a horizontal style, thinking that it is somehow more
efficient or something. I disagree. I tend to write more vertically now,
with maximum number of lines around 20 to 25, because that is what fits
on a screen.
One "rule" that has helped me with this goal is the one that says:
Make at most one assignment to a line.
--
Lee Dickey, University of Waterloo. (ljdickey@watmath.UUCP)
...!allegra!watmath!ljdickey
...!ucbvax!decvax!watmath!ljdickey
Technical Details
Message-ID:
<7420@watmath.UUCP>Path:
arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!watmath!ljdickeyReferences:
<647@bbncca.ARPA>Show Full Headers
Complete Article Headers
Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watmath.UUCP Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!watmath!ljdickey From: ljdickey@watmath.UUCP (Lee Dickey) Newsgroups: net.lang.apl Subject: Readability of functions Message-ID: <7420@watmath.UUCP> Date: Fri, 30-Mar-84 22:30:44 EST Article-I.D.: watmath.7420 Posted: Fri Mar 30 22:30:44 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 31-Mar-84 08:24:38 EST References: <647@bbncca.ARPA> Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 22