Re: Is this the Free-Format that we asked for?

DAsmussen@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Folks,
> 
> Could we _POSSIBLY_ have made this any worse?  We've combined the GOTO wars
> with the free format wars, general RPG technique wars, the language wars, and
> a hint of the IBM and alternate platform wars.  All the things that both
> divide and unite us in one basket.  How special.  Perhaps we could throw
> abortion, God, politics, and the meaning of life into the mix.  Certainly a
> treat for all.

I had to laugh at this, because I realized you are 100% right.  Heck, what
else do we argue about but how to do things?  Although we are really discussing
them.

> There seem to be two _MAIN_ issues here.  The semi-colon terminator and the
> GOTO statement.
> 
> First, the terminator DOES simplify compiler coding, thus bringing free-form
> RPG to market far faster than it would have appeared if written without it.
> A compiler parses source lines and, if you'd like to see PRM take longer to
> run than it does now (if that were humanly possible), have IBM leave them out
> of the first release.  Free-form RPG would catch on like an already burnt out
> match immersed in water in the latter instance.  Not only that, but
> terminators allow us normal folks to at least make out the code of you insane
> "free-formers" that like to see how many statements you can type on one line.

I agree.  The semi colon is not 100% necessary.  But, as you state, it will 
allow
them to bring the next version to market faster, and it will allow the people 
who
already do free format coding to use the new code quicker.
 
> Finally, the GOTO issue.  IMO, IBM's carrying forward of worthless crap like
> _THIS_ statement is part of the reason that newer methods haven't caught on.
> I _HEAR_ "judicious use" and "only when necessary", but in the field I _SEE_
> GOTO used "whenever I'm too lazy to write decent code", "I don't understand
> what this code is doing", and (in my best Cartman voice) "my fragile little
> mind cannot keep track of all these END statements".
> 
> I'll reissue a challenge that I first made nearly five years ago during the
> early GOTO wars on MIDRANGE-L -- before there even _WAS_ an RPG400-L.  Show
> me ONE SINGLE piece of _USEFUL_ business application code that absolutely
> requires a GOTO, and I'll recant my anti-GOTO stance.  Otherwise, quit
> whining about GOTO and upgrade your code to eliminate it.

There are reasons to use the GOTO statement.  The GOTO statement is actually
useful if used correctly.  I don't think anyone is arguing this.  I think the
whole point is, 95% of the time that GOTO is used it is used incorrectly!  With
such a failure to success rate it is much better just to not use the statement
at all.

That is why I said I don't use GOTO.  Ever.  Period.  Not that GOTO is a bad
statement, but since it can be abused so easily it is much simpler just not to
use it.
 
Regards,

Jim Langston
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