assignment expression peeve

[Carl Banks]

Paul Rubin wrote:
> Carl Banks <imbosol at aerojockey.invalid> writes:
>> > Whatever.  You're the only programmer I've ever encountered who claims
>> > to have actual trouble understanding assignment expressions.
>> 
>> I really don't appreciate you putting words in my mouth, and I'm sorry
>> you feel the need to resort to dishororable tactics.
>> 
>> I claim assignment expressions are counterintuitive, and hard to read,
>> because they go against the grain of natural language.  They require
>> more effort because we can't use the language parts of our brains to
>> help.
> 
> What does it mean to be hard to read?  Your eyes can't make out the
> characters on the screen?  Or your eyes can make out the characters,
> but the meaning conveyed isn't immediately clear to you.  If the
> latter, that means you claim to have trouble understanding the
> expressions.

No.  Go look up the word understand.  Whether assignment expressions
are easy to read, or hard to read, I can UNDERSTAND them just fine.


>> They require more effort because we can't use the language parts of
>> our brains to help.
> 
> Some of us either manage to limit our use them to ways where this
> isn't a problem, or else it just isn't an issue to begin with.  

Some of us have programmed in C or Lisp for a long time, and don't
realize how counterintuitive and awkward the construction is.


> Frankly your thing about no natural language analog sounds like hot
> air to me.

Go back a few posts, and you'll see I implored you to take my
linguistic argument as you would.  You evidently felt it was
reasonable enough to argue with.  If you'd like to dismiss it as crap,
be my guest.  I'm here to defend my views, not to change your mind.


-- 
CARL BANKS                   http://www.aerojockey.com/software

As the newest Lady Turnpot descended into the kitchen wrapped only in
her celery-green dressing gown, her creamy bosom rising and falling
like a temperamental souffle, her tart mouth pursed in distaste, the
sous-chef whispered to the scullery boy, "I don't know what to make of
her." 
          --Laurel Fortuner, Montendre, France 
            1992 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest Winner