From: "Guy N. Hurst" <gnhurst@...>
Date: 2001-07-06T04:19:19+09:00
Subject: [ruby-talk:17339] Re: /* */ comments


David Alan Black wrote:
> ...
> After reading and participating in the blitz of comment-ary on this, I
> tend to conclude that /* */ in Ruby is a solution in search of a
> problem.
> 
> Here's a very boiled-down version of the case against, at least as I
> see it:
> 
> 1. Ruby already has various ways to bracket out blocks of code for
>    debugging purposes.
> 
> 2. Comments should be shortish anyway.  If comments are really so long
>    that they require /* */, then either the code should be clarified
>    or those comments should really be part of the rd documentation
>    (and thus not in /* */ or even # form).
> 
> (Boiled-down enough? :-)
> 

Yes, regarding pure non-nested multi-line comments.

However, what about inline comments? There is currently no way to do that.

Secondly, for nesting. I have had this issue myself. Even though
I use RD's =begin/=end for debugging, I have found myself doing
some acrobatics to get around the fact that they don't nest.

I basically see its value in debugging, but I admit I don't see this
as a crucial feature. There are other features needed I consider crucial.
Like changing how ruby is installed by default, having per-user profiles, 
having the ability to re-initialize ruby while still running, and having a 
documentation API that goes beyond RD's current implementation, among other things.

Guy N. Hurst

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