🚀 go-pugleaf

From article <1992Jul27.153004.9049@esds.mdc.com>, by bonney@esds.mdc.com (Greg Bonney):
>>moderately long keywords separated by whitespaces are easier to read

> This sounds like a good argument.  However, you could take this to extremes.

Note that I said "moderately long".  Nobody in his right mind would
use keywords like "begin_for_loop" (I think Ada does come close to
this in quite a few cases, but we're not discussing Ada).

> For instance, why don't mathematicians write out "a squared plus b squared
> equals c squared"?

1. Do you think it's done this way in Pascal?  Then leave this discussion
and read something about it before you argue.  

2. Did you think I advocate that?  Then read my posting again before
you twist my words.

Trying to discount arguments by taking them to ridiculous extremes is
an old technique, but your arguments have no basis in what I wrote.  I
was talking of "keywords", not operators.  I did not mention COBOL -
you did.
 
> Another example: why don't musicians write out music in English, Italian,
> or German instead of using musical notation?  In these cases, special symbols
> do increase readability.  

You are taking this to extremes, not me.  Note that music does have a
fairly limited vocabulary, and formatting in lines depends more on
line length than semantics.  When sequence and a single kind of
unconditional loop are the only control constructs you have, then a
simple notation is indeed sufficient.  Music also doesn't need
variable names, and only three data types (pitch, key, extent).  Are
you proposing cutting C down to that size?

Anyway, since you appear to like extreme examples, don't you love APL?
APL syntax is the C naming and keyword approach taken to the extreme,
with a simpler grammar thrown in for free.  Must be a dream of a
language for you.
-- 
Markus Stumptner                                mst@vexpert.dbai.tuwien.ac.at
University of Technology Vienna                 vexpert!mst@relay.eu.net
Paniglg. 16, A-1040 Vienna, Austria             ...mcsun!vexpert!mst