linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] update checkpatch.pl to version 0.08

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Date:	Tue, 24 Jul 2007 21:59:08 +0200
From:	Adrian Bunk <bunk@...sta.de>
To:	jschopp <jschopp@...tin.ibm.com>
Cc:	Paul Mundt <lethal@...ux-sh.org>,
	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Andy Whitcroft <apw@...dowen.org>,
	"Kok, Auke" <auke-jan.h.kok@...el.com>,
	Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@...otime.net>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] update checkpatch.pl to version 0.08

On Tue, Jul 24, 2007 at 01:45:25PM -0500, jschopp wrote:
> <snip>
> > checkpatch has been quite useful
>> for catching obviously broken things, and now it seems like it's just
>> overreaching. Perhaps this functionality can be split in to a lite
>> checkpatch for catching show-stoppers for application and then something
>> more akin to a CodingStyle validator for the folks interested in
>> arbitrarily defining convention, which they can use freely while the rest
>> of us try to get something useful done.
>
> CodingStyle isn't about arbitrarily defining convention.  It is about 
> making the codebase consistent, which helps a ton in readability and 
> maintainability.
>
> Readability is important because it makes the job of the maintainers 
> easier.  If you or I have to spend 5 minutes to fix trivial CodingStyle 
> issues, but that 5 minutes saves Andrew or other maintainers 60 seconds in 
> reviewing your patch, we come out ahead.  Anything that shifts work from 
> maintainers to developers is a good thing because maintainers are 
> overworked as is.
>
> It could also argue that declaring multiple variables per line or putting 
> curly braces where they aren't needed doesn't make code unmaintainable.  
> I'd agree any one of these doesn't make code unmaintainable by itself.  But 
> if all these things are added together it is death by 1000 cuts.  The more 
> readable code is the fewer real bugs it will have because badness stands 
> out more in clean code.
>
> So, no we shouldn't separate out CodingStyle because
>
> Better CodingStyle == less bugs
>
> and
>
> Better CodingStyle == more throughput for maintainers

To some extent yes.

But extreme codingstyling won't gain you anything.

Except for long and fruitless discussions.

If a tool says anything would be wrong with the line of C code
	int i, j;
for two loop variables, then the tool is wrong because that's an idiom 
every C programmer knows and understands.

cu
Adrian

-- 

       "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
        of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
       "Only a promise," Lao Er said.
                                       Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed

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