Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site iuvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!ihnp4!inuxc!iuvax!saj From: saj@iuvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.lang Subject: Re: Forced Commenting - (nf) Message-ID: <117@iuvax.UUCP> Date: Wed, 15-Feb-84 15:11:02 EST Article-I.D.: iuvax.117 Posted: Wed Feb 15 15:11:02 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 16-Feb-84 06:06:44 EST Sender: saj@iuvax.UUCP Organization: Indiana U, Bloomington Lines: 22 #R:houxj:-31900:iuvax:11800009:000:977 iuvax!apratt Jan 8 00:47:00 1984 One thing which has often stymied my attempts at commenting is the fact that screens and printers are 80 columns wide (MX-80s, anyway). With that limitation, deeply nested structures have no room at the end of the line for comments, and no good place to put one (the line above? the line below?). Another limitation is 24-line screens. With most editors, this leaves (at most) 23 lines of the program visible at one time, and for that reason blank lines need to be scarce (especially in complex structures where you want to see as much as possible). On the other hand, complex structures are where blank lines are MOST helpful on a printout, with plenty of blank-line-delimited comments. Which way do you go with it? Depends mostly on the availability of printouts. If they're quick and cheap, use that right margin (and beyond) for all it's worth. Otherwise, program for the screen. Has anybody else noticed this problem? -- Allan Pratt ...ihnp4!iuvax!apratt