
An Eye Tracking Study on CamelCase and Snake_case [pdf] - neya
http://www.cs.kent.edu/~jmaletic/papers/ICPC2010-CamelCaseUnderScoreClouds.pdf?s=so
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hollasch
I find the experimental setup disappointing. As set up, each identifier is
surrounded by a fluffy cloud outline, in complete isolation from any
surrounding text, testing only the ability to distinguish between identifiers
that differ in one or two letters only in the middle (versus the beginning or
end, as would more frequently be the case). In practice, long identifiers with
such subtle differences are a problem in any naming scheme.

What they did not test is the speed of visual chunking of lexical elements,
something that is (in my guess) more important than the ability to distinguish
between mostly-identical strings. Underscores have fallen out of favor because
of this more important visual confusion, where identifier beginnings and
endings are less apparent.

Of course, this study suggests that our IDEs should perhaps surround variables
with fluffy cloud outlines to aid with underscore variables. :)

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java-man
excellent study. we need a similar study for K&R braces vs straight ones.

I bet straight braces would be faster to process.

