Re: [PATCH v2] cache_tree_find(): remove redundant checks

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Mar 5, 2014, 17:57 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqeh2gil55.fsf@gitster.dls.corp.google.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqr46himd1.fsf@gitster.dls.corp.google.com>

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

Show 6 quoted lines

> Michael Haggerty <mhagger@alum.mit.edu> writes:
>
>> I really wish we could mix declarations with statements because I think
>> it is a big help to readability.
> ...
> Unfortunately, I think we are in violent disagreement.

After re-reading the above, I realize that my statement may have sounded a lot stronger than I intended it to. If our codebase allowed decl-after-stmt, that would change the equation and a different style might help readability somewhat.

If decl-after-stmt were allowed, the group of lines that declare variables at the beginning before the real logic begins do not even have to be there, and "if some variables have initialization that involve program logic that need to be read carefully, the declaration at the beginning no longer can be coasted over as boilerplate" complaint disappears. The entire block can become the logic, declaring variables as necessary at the point they are required, without having to have a separate decl at the beginning.

Note that I am not advocating to allow decl-after-stmt; I do not think the imagined readability benefit is worth it.