From: jepler@nyx.cs.du.edu (Jeff)
Subject: Re: Opinions on case sensitivity in programming languages?
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Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 92 01:08:17 GMT

In article <10SEP199215533727@envmsa.eas.asu.edu> ptran@asuvax.eas.asu.edu writes:
>In article <ART.92Sep10132321@world.std.com>, 
>art@world.std.com (Al Thompson) writes...
>
>> In article <1992Sep10.034246.14218@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu>
>> tswingle@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (Tom Swingle) writes:
>
>>> ...  1.  Do you prefer programming in a language which is case-sensitive
>>> or case- insensitive (or does it even make a difference to you), and
>>> why?
>
>> Case insensitive all the way.  A cat is the same animal as a cAt.
>
>     Case sensitivity is a useful feature.  One usage is to name #define'd
>constants and macros using only uppercase characters.  This capitalization
>serves to tell the reader that "this identifier will be replaced; be
>careful."  Case sensitivity provides one more mechanism for encoding some
>more meaning into an identifier's name.  Some programmers use case to
>distinguish between functions and variables, as in Hungarian notation
>(e.g., capitalize the first letter in a function name).

Note that case insensitivity still allows you to do this:  When I use pascal,
I have my own, probably unique, system of choosing how to capitalize.  But
at the same time, I'm free from the strange, bizarre, and unnatural 
capitals that other people may choose to use.
>
>>> ...  2.  How significant an issue is case-sensitivity in your preference
>>> toward one language over another?
>
>> Not very, but I still think case insensitivity the proper way because of
>> its correspondence to natural languages.  Another is an issue of
>> correctness.  For example if I have two variable k and K a simple typo
>> can turn my program into a pumpkin and the compiler won't say a word.
>
>     I'm not sure that case insensitivity has a correspondence to natural
>languages.  It may with "spoken" language, where we stress intonation, etc.
>As for the written language, we take great care to distinguish a proper
>noun, an acronym, etc. using distinct cases.  As for program correctness,
>an undisciplined programmer may choose to change case depending on whether
>he/she feels like tapping the shift key, resulting in inconsistencies in
>the "form" and therefore, the readability of the code.  Likewise, I wonder
>if "k" and "K" are good identifiers at all?

Case is something there for the programmer.  This should be a feature, not
a straightjacket.  While K and k may not be good identifiers, I find myself
using X and Y (Or, more often, x and y) in programming every day.  

And when I get lazy, I like to be able to say WriteLn or writeLn or Writeln 
or writeln or whatever I want to.

4. (In a language of my own creation, how would I do case)

I would probably want case-insensitivity.  It leaves the programmer with the
ability to choose his own capitalization style, or lets someone be "sloppy."

The only reason *for* case sensivity that I could think of is the desire to
have functions FooBar, foobar, FOOBAR, etc., in the same program.  I would
call that a Bad Thing (tm) -- Choose different names for heavens' sake.