frank@zen.co.uk (Frank Wales) (04/28/89)
To me, all this discussion about whether C should be case-sensitive
is resolvable by asking the question: "what does one gain and lose by
having it?"
As far as I can see, having case-sensitivity provides the benefit that
I can decide how I would like my identifier names to appear. So I can
have
ListType *ListEntryPtr;
or
void SYSTEM_PANIC(char *panic_message);
or whatever I choose. I can also have identifiers differing only in case,
as in
typedef struct list
{
struct list *Prev, *Next;
void *SomeData;
} LIST;
which can be of benefit. I have the choice. I like that.
What I lose is the ability to exploit this feature while being a
sloppy typist, which is fine by me.
A possible compromise (if one were needed) would be to allow case-
sensitive declarations, but retain case-insensitive references unless
an ambiguity arose.
So you could have
char MyArray[80];
and refer to it by
(void)strcpy(MyArray,"Fred");
/* my shift keys just broke */
(void)strcat(myarray,"bert");
/* MY TERMINAL JUST TURNED INTO A TELETYPE */
(VOID)STRCAT(MYARRAY,"DAVE");
but if you had
const double con_g = 9.81183;
const double con_G = 6.673;
then
f=con_g+con_G; /* allowed */
g=con_g+Con_G; /* splat! Con_G not declared */
But this seems to be complexification for the sake of appeasing the
Case-Insensitivites, especially since it could mean that the meaning
of legal code could be changed simply by adding a declaration. It could
make the Obfuscated C Contest entries even weirder.
One of the [many] reasons I prefer C to {Pascal, BASIC, blahblahblah}
is that it trusts me to know what I'm doing, and what I'm typing. It
doesn't silently "correct" things for me, because I'm a grown-up now,
and while I still need advice from time to time, I don't need hand-holding,
and I see case-insensitive languages as being just that.
Put another way: if case doesn't matter, why should underscores?
Why should white space? Anyone for FORTRAN? :-)
--
Frank Wales, Systems Manager, [frank@zen.co.uk<->mcvax!zen.co.uk!frank]
Zengrange Ltd., Greenfield Rd., Leeds, ENGLAND, LS9 8DB. (+44) 532 489048 x217