Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#1

Post by sheharyarn » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:15 AM UTC

Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)
llewellynfalco.blogspot.com

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#2

Post by nemo1618 » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:33 AM UTC

Ha, I've been using this trick for a while, though I wouldn't go so far as to say "don't use the greater-than-sign." Honestly I just wish languages had a cleaner way to write "x is within this range," e.g. "if x in [2,4)"

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#3

Post by noobly » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:36 AM UTC

..but the greater than sign is still being used?

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#4

Post by qihqi » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:38 AM UTC

nemo1618 wrote: post #2

Ha, I've been using this trick for a while, though I wouldn't go so far as to say "don't use the greater-than-sign." Honestly I just wish languages had a cleaner way to write "x is within this range," e.g. "if x in [2,4)"

In Python we have if 2 <= x < 4.

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#5

Post by shmerl » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:38 AM UTC

Removing something doesn't necessarily make it more convenient to use. I'd find it bizarre if some language won't provide > using this logic.

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#6

Post by nimbius » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:39 AM UTC

as a CS major im sure this has academic value. as someone who is just learning python outside of a trade job as an engine mechanic, this idea makes me want to glass someone and im not sure why.

(5 if we're talking about X, whats wrong with defining the parameters of its constraints in terms of X instead of dancing around the numbers? 5 < X makes it sound like im setting constraints on the number 5.

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#7

Post by shurcooL » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:40 AM UTC

I prefer to use the “5 I’ve arrived to the same general conclusion independently, which is reassuring.

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#8

Post by fooker » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:40 AM UTC

Ah, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoda_conditions

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#9

Post by zapzupnz » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:41 AM UTC

This all looks good to me until I'm unwrapping an optional and checking it's length in Swift, which normally looks like:

    guard let array = obj.someArray,
          array.count > 0 else {
        throw SomeError
    }

Re: Don't use the greater-than sign in programming (2016)

#10

Post by johnday » Sun, Dec 09, 2018, 4:42 AM UTC

This just seems like an argument against putting the variable on the right hand side of the comparator.

You also only end up with two options, in the same way, and IMO (x > 5 && x < 10) is much more readable than (5 < x && x < 10) .