On: What Makes Code Hard to Understand?

[greggman]

Research is great except when its results are misinterpreted, its tests are poorly designed, etc.

I could easily redesign the horizontal whitespace test to show that horizontal whitespace matters.

Compare: spot the error

    class FruitCollection 
    {
    pubic:
      FruitCollection()
          : num_apple(0),
            num_apricot(0),
            num_avocado(0),
            num_banana(0),
            num_breadfruit(0),
            num_bilberry(0),
            num_blackberry(0),
            num_blackcurrant(0),
            num_blueberry(0),
            num_currant(0),
            num_cherry(0),
            num_cherimoya(0),
            num_clementine(0),
            num_cloudberry(0),
            num_coconut(0),
            num_damson(0),
            num_date(0),
            num_dragonfruit(0),
            num_durian(0),
            num_elderberry(0),
            num_feijoa(0),
            num_fig(0),
            num_gooseberry(0),
            num_grape(0),
            num_grapefruit(0),
            num_guava(0),
            num_huckleberry(0),
            num_honeydew(0)
            num_jackfruit(0),
            num_jettamelon(0),
            num_jambul(0),
            num_jujube(0),
            num_kiwifruit(0),
            num_kumquat(0),
            num_legume(0),
            num_lemon(0),
            num_lime(0),
            num_loquat(0),
            num_lychee(0),
            num_mandarine(0),
            num_mango(0),
            num_melon(0) 
      {
      };
    };

Now spot the error here

    class FruitCollection 
    {
    public:
      FruitCollection()
          : num_apple(0)
          , num_apricot(0)
          , num_avocado(0)
          , num_banana(0)
          , num_breadfruit(0)
          , num_bilberry(0)
          , num_blackberry(0)
          , num_blackcurrant(0)
          , num_blueberry(0)
          , num_currant(0)
          , num_cherry(0)
          , num_cherimoya(0)
          , num_clementine(0)
          , num_cloudberry(0)
          , num_coconut(0)
          , num_damson(0)
          , num_date(0)
          , num_dragonfruit(0)
          , num_durian(0)
          , num_elderberry(0)
          , num_feijoa(0)
          , num_fig(0)
          , num_gooseberry(0)
          , num_grape(0)
          , num_grapefruit(0)
          , num_guava(0)
          , num_huckleberry(0)
          , num_honeydew(0)
            num_jackfruit(0)
          , num_jettamelon(0)
          , num_jambul(0)
          , num_jujube(0)
          , num_kiwifruit(0)
          , num_kumquat(0)
          , num_legume(0)
          , num_lemon(0)
          , num_lime(0)
          , num_loquat(0)
          , num_lychee(0)
          , num_mandarine(0)
          , num_mango(0)
          , num_melon(0) 
      {
      };
    };

Similarly the rectangle with tuples. I'm only guessing on this one but I suspect if you change it to vectors then

    a = Vector(1, 2, 3, 4)
    b = Vector(3, 4, 5, 6)
    c = mul(a, b);

Is far more understandable than

    a = Vector(1, 2, 3, 4)
    b = Vector(3, 4, 5, 6)
    c = mul(a.x, a.y, a.z, a.w, b.x, b.y, b.z, b.w);

And that the more complex the math the worse it would get. Even for rectangles a larger example that did various intersections and unions I suspect the results would change.

[groovy2shoes → greggman]

I haven't had time to brush up on C++11 yet. Is pubic a new keyword?

In all seriousness, you make some good points, but I don't think they invalidate the findings so much as they demonstrate avenues for further inquiry.