Re: Some thoughts around the "is Perl code maintainable" discussion

[GrandFather]

If something is a language in any real sense of the word then it must be capable of TIMTOWTDI - otherwise it is only capable of expressing exactly one thing in exactly one way. A language can not constrain articulation of it to a single expression of it. Any language allows circumlocution and shades of gray, even formal languages such as computer languages. For example, the following two expressions are equivalent (in most languages), but one is likely to provide a little more resonance than the other:

(2 * 60 + 15) * 60 + 5
8105

Despite no variable names, or any other context, the first expression provides a strong clue that hours, minutes and seconds are involved. But if TIOWTDI then only one expression would be allowed wouldn't it?

The point is that TIMTOWTDI allows the freedom to express it in the way that allows some appropriate combination of ease of understanding, ease of maintenance and efficiency. The appropriate balance can often only be reached by considering a much larger picture that the implementation language is capable of dictating.