Posted by Shelly on 08/05/06 15:41

I don't know if I should even respond to this but I will. I guess that is
because I am a "moron (sic)".

"Tony Marston" <tony@NOSPAM.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:eb29q4$htf$2$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> Imagine you are working on a program and you come across a refenece to a
> function called readfile(). You don't know what it does exactly. so you
> look it up Ten some time later you come across a reference to a function
> called readFile(). You don't notice that one letter has changed case, so
> you don't realise that it is not the same function as the one you remember
> and therefore has completely different behaviour and possibly completely
> different consequences. Later on you discover that there is a whole group
> of *different* functions which have exactly thesame spelling, but where
> the only difference is a change of case in one or two letters.
>
> Let me ask you a simple question. If you were to write a series of
> functions which performed some sort of file access which naming convention
> would you choose?
>
> Option (a) - readFileByIndex(), readFileSerially(), readNext() and
> readPrevious()
>
> Option (b) - readfile(), readFile(), ReadFile() and READFILE()
>
> How many people think that option (b) is "kewl" and preferable to option
> (a)?

First, and here is what you CONTINUOUSLY fail to get through your head. Any
(professional) programmer who has worked for any small time with case
sensitivity, would NEVER confuse readfile(), readFile(), ReadFile() and
READFILE(). He/She would AUTOMACTICALLY assume they are different functions
that do more less the same thing but have different scopes and areas of
applicability. THERE IS NO CONFUSION. The only confusion is by programmers
who refuse to learn that there is a whole new world out there. There is a
saying, "adapt or die". Please read "Who Moved My Cheese".

What would I do? I would use functions readFileByIndex(),
readFileSerially(), readNext() and readPrevious() to do the specific jobs
involved. I would also use readfile(), readFile(), ReadFile() and
READFILE() to do a more generalized read, but where the scopes are different
and I would do that according to the accepted conventions. That is the
meaning of PROFESSIONAL.

So, Tony, it is not an either-or.

As for your insulting me, I will give you enough time to apologize to me.
After all I, as a programmer, fall into the category of "any programmer
who". After that time, if you have not apologized, you will be deposited
into my killfile.


>
>>> The ability to have 3 different variables called box, Box and BOX causes
>>> problems.
>>
>> See my previous comment.
>
> Imagine you are writing code to transfer funds from one account to
> another, which means that you need to hold two different account numbers.
> Which naming convention would you choose?
>
> Option (a) - account_from, account_to
>
> Option (b) - account, Account
>
> How many people think that option (b) is "kewl" and preferable to option
> (a)?

Neither. I would name them accountSource accountDest. OK, that is
nitpiking. I would choose A. However, that is NOT the purpose of account
vs. Account. It would be a poor use of case sensitivity.

>
>>> Or am I the only person who can see this?
>>
>> Apparantly.
>
> Then you are blind. Or stupid. Or both.

I didn't read the whole thing before starting my response and getting to
ths. I take back my apology statement above. Me, reading you insulting
me once, shame on you. Me, reading you insulting me twice, shame on me.
Kerplunk!!!!! (The sound of another obnoxious, egocentric, self-important,
prick dropping into my killfile).

Shelly

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