Strunk and White on Programming

posted Tue 21 Oct 2008 by Michael Galloy under IDL

Strunk and White interpreted as advice on programming. For example,

2.17. Omit needless ~~words~~ code

Vigorous ~~writing~~ programming is concise. A ~~sentence~~ function should contain no unnecessary ~~words~~ code, a ~~paragraph~~ block of code no unnecessary ~~sentences~~ statements, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the ~~writer~~ programmer make all functions short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every ~~word~~ line of code tell.

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Strunk and White on Programming