XPost: alt.folklore.computers, comp.lang.python   
   From: bowman@montana.com   
      
   On Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:28:34 -0000 (UTC), John Levine wrote:   
      
   > According to c186282  :   
   >>   Well ... I'll better understand, and be able to mod, my old programs   
   >>   better than you. I find 'excessive' commenting anything BUT   
   >>   'excessive'. I *enjoy* writing out the meaning and implications of   
   >>   almost every step.   
   >   
   > That's fine as long as it's done with adequate discipline   
   >   
   > 	i += 2;	/* add one more bloofus to i */   
      
   	/** obtain the list of units for the passed in object */   
   	list_ret_val = (list_obj_ret *)ListObj(&obj_s, OTUnit);   
      
   That's an actual example of a comment that doesn't add anything to the   
   discussion. If you don't know what ListObj() does, the structure of the   
   linked list it returns, or that you have to cast the data field of the   
   linked list to a UnitStruct, that comment isn't going to help.   
      
   If you do know it's readily apparent you're passing in a Cfs object to get   
   the list of units attached to it. Doing a quick and dirty search there are   
   1752 calls to ListObj in the codebase very few of which are commented.   
      
   If you're doing something quirky, comment it.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)