case sensitivity

[Edward Nevill]

In article <4402 at goofy.megatest.UUCP>, djones at megatest.UUCP (Dave Jones) writes:
> > In article <13159 at dartvax.Dartmouth.EDU> jskuskin at eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Jeffrey Kuskin) writes:
> >>    Why is C case-sensitive? ...
> > 
> > Why not?  The real question is why things should be case-*in*sensitive.

I don't have a problem with case [in]sensitivity in languages. I do have a
problem with people who write mixed case library functions for case sensitive
languages, eg. Mac C systems. Turning to a random page in Inside Macintosh.

Pg. I-474

FUNCTION GetCursor(cursorID: INTEGER) : CursHandle;

TYPE CursPtr    = ^Cursor;
     CursHandle = ^CursPtr;

CONST iBeamCursor = 1;
      crossCursor = 2;
      plusCursor  = 3;
      watchCursor = 4;

PROCEDURE ShieldCursor(shieldRect: Rect; offsetPt: Point);

This is enough to drive anyone up the wall. The case usage isn't even
consistent. I find that, even though I know perfectly well how the identifier
should be spelled, I continually have to look up the manual to find the
correct case. This is a pain.

> Somewhere or another I heard of the "telephone test" for programs.
> I'm sorry I can't credit the author.  The test, which is for judging the
> self-documentation properties of a program, is whether or not you
> can read it to someone over the telephone, and in doing so convey the
> meaning of the program.

The 'Telephone Test' has been surperceeded by the Modem :-)

Edward Nevill (enevill at acorn.co.uk)