8 Nov
2017
8 Nov
'17
10:34 p.m.
On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 4:24 PM, Larry McVoy <lm(a)mcvoy.com> wrote:
On Wed, Nov 08, 2017 at 04:19:49PM -0500, Dan Cross
wrote:
Lots of them can also handle two 100 column windows, or perhaps more
realistically 82- or 85-column windows, but here's the thing that I
don't buy about that argument: if given a large enough screen,
proponents would claim that they needed 3 side-by-side windows instead
of two. As a simple test, I can put two 100x75 windows side-by-side on
my desktop here at work, using a font size big enough for my
deteriorating eyesight. I can fit three 80x75 windows next to one
another, but I can fit *4* 60-column windows next to each other.
On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 4:02 PM, Larry McVoy
<lm(a)mcvoy.com> wrote:
Not really. Programmers need windows side by side. Lots and lots of bit
mapped displays can handle 2 80 column windows at a reasonable font size. On Wed, Nov 08, 2017 at 08:52:03PM +0000, ron
minnich wrote:
The thing that sort of vexes me about these arguments is that the
number 80 is so arbitrary. So, 80 column folks, would you find this
a(b,
c,
d)
more readable than
a(b,c,d)
yeah, I do. I work on thinkpad x220 sized machines which are just big enough
for two 80 column windows with a little left over. When I'm checking in code,
reviewing code, debugging code, I frequently want to see two versions of the
same file side by side. If you code wider than 80 columns it greatly reduces
the speed at which you can figure out what happened. And I made the point about side by side diff tools.
But what about 3-way merge tools?
And I made the point about being able to read down the
center and get the
rest through peripheral vision.
Would I like wider? Not really, at this point the vast majority of the
code I look at, the man pages and other docs I look, they all fit in 80
columns. Sure, you could pick something else but you are just fighting
reality.
It's like video on phones. We still call it taping. Probably still will
in a 100 years. Where's the tape? In history.
Language is a funny thing. Well, I better get back in the saddle and
write some code.
- Dan C.