[sc34wg3] Multi-line comments in CTM

[Murray Altheim]

Robert Barta wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 18, 2008 at 11:24:38AM -0500, Patrick Durusau wrote:
> 
>> # Here is a multi-line
>> # comment to document
>> # some fact or another
>>
>> So, I guess my question is whether or not a multi-line comment mechanism 
>> is thought to be necessary for commenting out blocks of material in a 
>> CTM instance?
> 
> No. And many languages have abandoned multiline comments with
> start/end tokens. They are also dangerous because it is NOT always
> obvious when a comment starts and when one ends. Let's try that with
> /* */ :
>
> /* this is clearly a comment */
[...]

...except that this style of comment syntax, whatever its faults, is
known to the vast majority of the world's programmers. It's clearly
a deficit to not include such a feature, and entirely strange and
unnecessary to design Yet Another Comment Syntax for something that
most everyone is already familiar with. Please, stick with the known
when possible. Avoid the strange.

Murray

...........................................................................
Murray Altheim <murray07 at altheim.com>                           ===  = =
http://www.altheim.com/murray/                                     = =  ===
SGML Grease Monkey, Banjo Player, Wantanabe Zen Monk               = =  = =

       Boundless wind and moon - the eye within eyes,
       Inexhaustible heaven and earth - the light beyond light,
       The willow dark, the flower bright - ten thousand houses,
       Knock at any door - there's one who will respond.
                                       -- The Blue Cliff Record