Programming Perl also uses %Flintstones and %Simpsons as examples. I don't hear anyone complaining about that. And as far as picking names for variables, the names should mean something. For example, if I was coding a robot, I might use $gypsy, $crow, or $cambot as variable names because I'm a fan of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, and it's a mnemonic device. By the same token, someone who is a serious Christian might use biblical figures to accomplish the same purpose.

Here's an example, although you'd be unlikely to see it in the real world.

A system is password-protected. In order to make the login more difficult, you have to enter your login and password three times. Each time, you will be denied access, and asked to try again. After three failed attempts, security leaves you alone, and you can enter. You might call this section of code "Peter", because the apostle Peter denied knowing Christ three times, even though he did know him. Another section might monitor user behavior, and report improper behavior back to the admin so the user can be removed. It wouldn't be reaching to call that section "Judas", because it betrays the user.

I'm not a Christian, but I love a good pun, and I appreciate the amount of work that goes into an extended metaphor. If a person can understand their code better by using Biblical names, go nuts. As long as useability isn't hindered, say by making a variable name $I_am_going_to_hell_because_I_took_the_Lords_name_in_vain, who cares?

-Logan
"What do I want? I'm an American. I want more."

---

---

• Are you posting in the right place? Check out Where do I post X? to know for sure.
• Posts may use any of the Perl Monks Approved HTML tags. Currently these include the following:

  <code> <a> <b> <big> <blockquote> <br /> <dd> <dl> <dt> <em> <font> <h1> <h2> <h3> <h4> <h5> <h6> <hr /> <i> <li> <nbsp> <ol> <p> <small> <strike> <strong> <sub> <sup> <table> <td> <th> <tr> <tt> <u> <ul>

• Snippets of code should be wrapped in <code> tags not <pre> tags. In fact, <pre> tags should generally be avoided. If they must be used, extreme care should be taken to ensure that their contents do not have long lines (<70 chars), in order to prevent horizontal scrolling (and possible janitor intervention).
• Want more info? How to link or How to display code and escape characters are good places to start.