4 ms·

For a configuration language, comments are absolutely crucial. You want to be able to say "# This option is set because <so-and-so>" to explain why you are conf

by OskarS 2y ago

For a configuration language, comments are absolutely crucial. You want to be able to say "# This option is set because <so-and-so>" to explain why you are configuring it this way to the next person that reads the code (or you, in the future). If the price to pay is that there is some risk some dummy might start parsing the comments as code, so be it. This is not a really a problem in "regular" programming languages, I don't see why it would be in a configuration language.

mdaniel 2y ago
> This is not a really a problem in "regular" programming languages https://go.dev/wiki/Comments#directives https://go.dev/wiki/Comments#directives :-D
- gotimo 2y ago
  They said "regular" programming languages
mmh0000 2y ago
I will start by saying, I completely agree with you! But, then, I have to behave like a typical computer nerd and say.. Well ackchuallyyyyyy: > "This is not a really a problem in "regular" programming languages" Browsers do stupid: <!--[if IE 8]> Linux does stupid: #!/bin/bash C/C++ (preprocessor marcos) do stupid: #ifdef https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_comment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_comment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comment_(computer_programming) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comment_(computer_programming)
- everforward 2y ago
  I don’t think the Linux one is that stupid, but it might be me. It’s not a “magic comment” because it doesn’t depend on the runtime. It specifies an interpreter to use, regardless of the language of the file. Eg you can use #!/usr/bin/python for a Python script. I don’t find it worse than the existing alternative of making the file name magic and finding and interpreter based on that.
  - mmh0000 2y ago
    It is a magic comment though. It's a comment ignored by the interpreter (bash, python, whatever). The kernel just says "Hey! You can't execute a text file, you weirdo! I'll just read the very first line of the text file and if it happens to be a comment that points to another executable, I'll run that and pass it this file."
- daymanstep 2y ago
  Macros are not comments.

by OskarS 2y ago

mdaniel 2y ago

> This is not a really a problem in "regular" programming languages https://go.dev/wiki/Comments#directives https://go.dev/wiki/Comments#directives :-D

gotimo 2y ago
They said "regular" programming languages

mmh0000 2y ago

I will start by saying, I completely agree with you! But, then, I have to behave like a typical computer nerd and say.. Well ackchuallyyyyyy: > "This is not a really a problem in "regular" programming languages" Browsers do stupid: <!--[if IE 8]> Linux does stupid: #!/bin/bash C/C++ (preprocessor marcos) do stupid: #ifdef https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_comment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conditional_comment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comment_(computer_programming) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comment_(computer_programming)

everforward 2y ago
I don’t think the Linux one is that stupid, but it might be me. It’s not a “magic comment” because it doesn’t depend on the runtime. It specifies an interpreter to use, regardless of the language of the file. Eg you can use #!/usr/bin/python for a Python script. I don’t find it worse than the existing alternative of making the file name magic and finding and interpreter based on that.
- mmh0000 2y ago
  It is a magic comment though. It's a comment ignored by the interpreter (bash, python, whatever). The kernel just says "Hey! You can't execute a text file, you weirdo! I'll just read the very first line of the text file and if it happens to be a comment that points to another executable, I'll run that and pass it this file."
daymanstep 2y ago
Macros are not comments.