From: gunnar.andersson@...
Date: 2002-07-31T23:38:22+09:00
Subject: RE: Style question

> --- Jim Freeze <jim@freeze.org> wrote:
> > On Tue, Jul 30, 2002 at 11:19:52PM +0900, Michael Campbell wrote:
> > > Is there an accepted standard as to when to use {} vs do/end?
> > > 
> > I personally like the {} for the simple reason that it is easy
> > to test for matching pairs in vi.
> 
> This has been my thought as well.  Too, coming from a c/C++/Java
> lineage, it "reads" better to me but that's a function of my context,
> not the language necessarily.

Style issues like this define the feel of a language, but
is often dictated, like you suggest, by people's editor support.
I'd rather adjust the editor (VIM user) to the style than the
opposite, but I also never feel it's a problem to match blocks
when the editor indents properly, and when writing in a style 
that avoids too deep nesting.

IMHO do/end is more ruby-like simply because it
is more or less unique to ruby.  I like that it sets the code apart
from the look of other languages.  I can immediately recognize it.
For touch typists it should be quicker and less strenuous to
type several characters than to reach for the shift key but 
that all depends on your typing and editor support.

Long ago I heard many advocating do/end in the general case 
and {} only for one-liners.  It is a style rule I like 
quite well.

/Gunnar