naming conventions, was: Case sensitivity

Barton Willis writes:
> I vote for demanding that core Maxima identifiers
> (function names, option variables, etc) be lower 
> case with underscores for word separators; I can
> type this style of identifier faster than mixed
> case ones. 

Andreas Eder writes:
> Please, don't do that. I looks so decidedly 
> unlispy (more like windows crap). Why not 
> the-extrapolated-length? That's easier to type
>  - and easier on the eyes!

"Windows crap"? Let's be careful here.
WindowsCrapIsThisSoCalledCamelCase, while 
all_unix_programmers_use_lowercase_and_underscores.
I find myself in the latter camp. 8^)

Actually, I rather like the original S notation,
lowercase.separated.by.periods, although lately
both S-Plus and R seem to be accumulating mixed
upper/lower case names; such a shame.

Finally, 'names that have embedded spaces' would
have their uses. I guess the main difficulty
would be distinguishing literal strings from
names. But wouldn't 'integral of strange function':1
be nice?

I think Maxima should be case sensitive, and should
not have a mechanism for making it case insensitive.
I think it's better to decide on one good way to do
things, and stick to it; accomodating preferences
of a minority of users on some inessential point
is just a diversion of effort that would be better
spent on other tasks.

There's a much greater payoff in accomodating 
Greek and other alphabets in symbols, I think.

Just my 0.02 US$.

best,

Robert Dodier


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