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From: moroz@inist.ru (Oleg Moroz)
Subject: Re: dot syntax confusion not!
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Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 12:31:42 GMT
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On 20 Feb 1996 09:27:49 -0500, MC8531@mclink.it (Enrico Colombini) wrote:

> > It appears that most of the syntax gripes come from the
> > ol' programmers. More UI studies on reliable understandability
> > would be very welcomed by the language design communities.
> > Rather than imposing our own prejudices let's
> > listen to those just learning to read and write code.
> 
> That's a very good idea.

Not a _very_ good idea, IMHO. I think that a non-experienced programmer will
emphasize on syntax/semantics features that will be suitable for him/her to
write his usual ten/hundred-liner. There are bright people who learn fast and
think deep, but the majority of those who "just learn to read and write code"
learn to write code first, and only after some years of painful experiments
start to understand what they need to read and _write readable and maintainable
code_. I have yet to see the combination of syntax / semantics / module_system /
programming_environment that would be similarly appropriate for both uses.

The point is: listen to "young ones", but never too much :)

Oleg

