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> Can you provide some kind of definition for what "readability" is? Sure. In this particular case, your parent considers an algorithm "readable" if it can be
by JackC 12y ago
> Can you provide some kind of definition for what "readability" is?
Sure. In this particular case, your parent considers an algorithm "readable" if it can be readily understood by someone who is not familiar with the particular language being used, and is not experienced with Lisp-style languages, but is experienced with ALGOL-style languages.
That's not a universal definition, but at this moment in this path-dependent world it's a reasonable thing to consider.
- baddox 12y agoI think in most cases a working programmer should be able to write code under the assumption that it will be read and maintained by people who are familiar with the programming language being used.
- klibertp 12y agoI think you missed GP point, which I believe was that "you can write Fortran in any language". Or more precisely that you can know a language very well, but that won't help you much if you are confronted with unfamiliar idioms and patterns you don't know.
- klibertp 12y ago> who is not familiar with the particular language being used > but is experienced with ALGOL-style languages That's NOT readability, that's merely familiarity. It doesn't help anyone to confuse the two.