Re: Alignment Nazi?

--- In [email protected], "gjmilne64" <gjmilne@...> wrote:
> 
> I am an Alignment Nazi. When I see a block of code like this:
> 
be prepared to meet mister black helicopter, mr alignment nazi.

> 
> I find it so much easier to read when I change it to this:
> 
I find it much easier to read if it contained a bit more whitespace 
in the form of linebreaks...


> The question I want to ask is "does my need for visual clarity 
excuse my
> fetish for alignment of equals signs in blocks of code"?
> 
nope. Generally only functional changes should make it into version 
control.
Especially if you're dealing with languages where whitespace is 
significant :)

> My personal justification is that I can more easily assimilate the 
block
> of code if the left-hand side of variable names is clearly separated

OTOH it makes it a lot more work changing that code as every time 
someone comes up with variable name that including its type name is 
longer than anything that's already there an ever expanding block of 
code needs to be rewritten to please your fetish.
Makes tracking diffs a lot harder when half the sourcefile changes 
every time someone touches it just to make it match his personal 
layout preferences.

> Perhaps I should write a book (or blog) on the merits of "Pretty 
Code".
> 
"Pretty" in this case is in the eye of the beholder. I'm averse to 
unnecessary whitespace and consider this style to be largely 
unnecessary.
Blame my ASM and Cobol origins, maybe.

Jeroen Wenting