RE: /FREE RPG compiler errors

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Gary Guthrie
>
> I've avoided this discussion for some time, but it's time to move
> forward. If you can't drive the Ford, maybe you're not cut out to be a
> truck driver, afterall.
>
> The following is NOT an opinion: Free-format RPG is better.
>
> There, now that that's settled, what else should we talk about?

Pure free-format is not necessarily "better" than fixed-format.  There are
some things better, some not.  And it *IS* an opinion.  Replacing:

   MOVE A    B

with

   eval %subst(b : 2 : 2) = %editc(a : 'X');

is NOT better, in my opinion.  I don't care how readable it is to a C
programmer, I care how readable it is to an RPG programmer, and the former
is more readable, and a lot easier to code.  This is where the opinion bit
comes in.

Now, most of my objections would go away if they'd just allow some
transitionary syntax.

   eval %move(a : b)
   eval %movel(a : b)

If those were acceptable, I'd be far more likely to embrace the language,
and there's no reason not to support them.  You think they're unreadable?
Go in and change them.  But don't force your idea of readable on me.

Joe