[fpc-pascal] The reason why linus torvalds hate-pascal

[Alan Krause]

Rodrigo Palhano wrote:
> this
>
>>> if ( payments per year <> 12 ) then begin
>>>  Result := 1;
>>>  exit;
>>> end;
>>> if ( rate = 0 ) then begin
>>>  Result := 2;
>>>  exit;
>>> end;
>
> is better than this ?
>
> if ( payments per year <> 12 ) then begin
>   Result := 1
> Else if ( rate = 0 ) then
>   Result := 2;
>
> or even this ?

In my opinion, yes.

First of all, you would need to append an else clause to your example 
that the code following my block would need to be placed in.

e.g.

if ( payments per year <> 12 ) then begin
  Result := 1;
end else if ( rate = 0 ) then begin
  Result := 2;
end else begin
  .. lots o' code here
end; // end if - else if - else

 From a code readability standpoint, if I am someone trying to 
understand the above code and I want to know what happens when the rate 
is zero, I see that a result code is set. I then need to parse down to 
the end of the multiple if-else if-else code to see if anything else 
happens after that block of code.

With the code I prefer (at the top of the email), it is clear that a 
result code is set, and then BAM! (as Emeril Lagasse would say), I am 
done. It also reduces another level of indentation, which I like.

Finally, during code maintenance, some other person working on the code 
might append new code at the end of the routine, but not place it inside 
the "end else begin" block, not thinking about what might happen with 
the result-code generating (and more exceptional) cases.

These are just my preferences, I'm not saying they are the best or are 
THE correct way of doing things. In my experience, I have found that 
this method works well for *me*.

Alan