> I only object to the label "it's unreadable" because it demands the author (or someone else) make it "readable" to cure, when the right fix is to fix the prog

> I only object to the label "it's unreadable" because it demands the author (or someone else) make it "readable" to cure, when the right fix is to fix the programmer: to give them the experiences needed to be able to read it. Though I disagree with the claim of unreadability, for the reason you've mentioned—readability is a matter of conventions, never an absolute—I don't think it really 'demands' anything. If I were to call this a non-standard C coding style, then I don't think you or anyone would disagree; but that is just a statement of fact, not a demand to standardise it. I think a claim of unreadability can be read charitably in the same way, as a statement of the fact that "people used only to the standard C programming style will find this difficult to read", not any demand or even request that it be otherwise.