Re: New Version Notification for draft-leiba-rfc2119-update-00.txt

Dave Crocker <dhc@dcrocker.net> Sat, 13 August 2016 00:34 UTC

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Subject: Re: New Version Notification for draft-leiba-rfc2119-update-00.txt
To: Pete Resnick <presnick@qti.qualcomm.com>, Joe Touch <touch@isi.edu>
References: <147077254472.30640.13738163813175851232.idtracker@ietfa.amsl.com> <CALaySJLHx7ytgZqZ9zQXA3vVSU-pNggQQs+QiDnzQ4tBEH5VAQ@mail.gmail.com> <B31EEDDDB8ED7E4A93FDF12A4EECD30D9240CC47@GLKXM0002V.GREENLNK.net> <f30c2fb9-2f84-4ff1-8bd2-f70fe4201838@gmail.com> <379B29D6-2C56-4EB1-BA50-4740A605C9D0@qti.qualcomm.com> <6433bb28-3e68-a18b-6bec-6017701baa03@isi.edu> <5A419C3F-E7C7-47E8-B1D6-ED5F09AFED89@qti.qualcomm.com>
From: Dave Crocker <dhc@dcrocker.net>
Organization: Brandenburg InternetWorking
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Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2016 17:34:21 -0700
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Cc: Barry Leiba <barryleiba@computer.org>, IETF discussion list <ietf@ietf.org>
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On 8/12/2016 5:20 PM, Pete Resnick wrote:
>     It's inefficient to repeat the phrase "X MUST be supported by any
>     implementation that complies with this specification".
>
> Perfect example. That passive construction is just as bad as "X is
> REQUIRED".


These sorts of exchanges remind me of just how differently people view 
the concept of clarity in writing.

And that tends to prompt me to recall a rather interesting article in 
Datamation magazine, many years ago, back when I was first learning 
concepts of clear programming and the world was wresting with different 
views on how to achieve it, with Dijkstra's "GOTO Statement Considered 
Harmful" article holding particular sway.

In this midst of that, it took me an embarrassingly long time to comprehend:

    https://www.fortran.com/come_from.html


d/
-- 

   Dave Crocker
   Brandenburg InternetWorking
   bbiw.net