Scope of variables

[bearophile]

Jonathan M Davis:

> The situation in D with regards to variable names isn't really any more 
> complex in D than it is in C++,

I don't agree. In D I use many inner functions, so I have to be careful about where a variable is defined, if global, if local, or if local in the outer function. This burns some of my time.


> and in my experience it's virtually never a 
> problem in C++. Smart variable naming makes things clear. This is a complete 
> non-issue IMHO. It rarely creates bugs.

Seeing my recurring mild troubles, and how SPARK has chosen a more strict attitude, I think you are not fully right.


> Non offense, but honestly, if you're 
> seeing much in the way of bugs from using the wrong variable, I have to wonder 
> if you're doing something wrong.

None taken, you're one of the most polite and gentle persons around here, I appreciate this.

Surely different programmers have different cognitive capabilities. Sometimes in CLisp I get lost in parentheses, while I usually know where the North is while I program in Haskell.

There's lot of free space to explore while you design a programming language, and I think current languages usually have parts that can be improved.

Designing good computer languages is one of the most difficult activities I see around, they are interfaces between quirky and very complex mammals and refined and increasingly complex tech agglomerates able to approximate universal computation machines.

Bye,
bearophile