Because you can more easily look at it by pressing M-v/C-v a couple of times. Anyway, in this case, it isn't earlier versions: it's one specific earlier version

Because you can more easily look at it by pressing M-v/C-v a couple of times. Anyway, in this case, it isn't earlier versions: it's one specific earlier version. From the way people carry on when they see commented-out code like this, you'd get the impression that people actually paid attention to what was in comments! But if only that were so...