Re: [PATCH] SubmittingPatches: Increase the line length limit from 80 to 100 colums [LWN.net]

From:		Andrew Morton <akpm-AT-linux-foundation.org>
To:		Ingo Molnar <mingo-AT-elte.hu>
Subject:		Re: [PATCH] SubmittingPatches: Increase the line length limit from 80 to 100 colums
Date:		Fri, 3 Feb 2012 12:57:15 -0800
Message-ID:		<20120203125715.0e9dfb1d.akpm@linux-foundation.org>
Cc:		Linus Torvalds <torvalds-AT-linux-foundation.org>, Cyrill Gorcunov <gorcunov-AT-openvz.org>, linux-kernel-AT-vger.kernel.org, Pavel Emelyanov <xemul-AT-parallels.com>, Serge Hallyn <serge.hallyn-AT-canonical.com>, KAMEZAWA Hiroyuki <kamezawa.hiroyu-AT-jp.fujitsu.com>, Kees Cook <keescook-AT-chromium.org>, Tejun Heo <tj-AT-kernel.org>, Andrew Vagin <avagin-AT-openvz.org>, "Eric W. Biederman" <ebiederm-AT-xmission.com>, Alexey Dobriyan <adobriyan-AT-gmail.com>, Andi Kleen <andi-AT-firstfloor.org>, KOSAKI Motohiro <kosaki.motohiro-AT-gmail.com>, "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa-AT-zytor.com>, Thomas Gleixner <tglx-AT-linutronix.de>, Glauber Costa <glommer-AT-parallels.com>, Matt Helsley <matthltc-AT-us.ibm.com>, Pekka Enberg <penberg-AT-kernel.org>, Eric Dumazet <eric.dumazet-AT-gmail.com>, Vasiliy Kulikov <segoon-AT-openwall.com>, Valdis.Kletnieks-AT-vt.edu
Archive-link:		Article, Thread

On Fri, 3 Feb 2012 11:07:43 +0100
Ingo Molnar <mingo@elte.hu> wrote:

> [PATCH] SubmittingPatches: Increase the line length limit from 80 to 100 colums
> 
> The overwhelming majority of kernel developers have stopped 
> using 80 col terminals years ago.
> 
> As far as I'm aware I was the last regular kernel contributor 
> who still used a standard VGA text console, but both text 
> consoles and using them to read the kernel source code has 
> become increasingly gruesome years ago so I switched to a wider 
> terminal two years ago.

I always use 80-cols, everywhere.  Not because I particularly like it -
I find it a bit too small.  I use it because it is the standard, and
using it helps me see where and how badly we violate the standard.

We've actually done pretty well - linewrap in 80 cols rarely causes me
problems.  It's sufficiently rare that when it *does* happen, it really
stands out.

IOW, the changelog is quite the exaggeration.

> So lets increase the limit to 100 cols

I think that's going too far - 96 will be enough and it's a multiple of 8.

The multiple-of-8 thing seems pleasing but probably doesn't matter
much.  It means that things like

if (foo) {
	if (foo) {
		if (foo) {
			if (foo) {
				if (foo) {
					if (foo) {
						if (foo) {
							if (foo) {
								if (foo) {
									if (foo) {
										if (foo) {
											if (foo) {
												if (foo) {
													if (foo) {
														if (foo) {

will line up properly.

If we really want to improve the world we should jump into a time
machine and set tabstops to 4.  Sigh.

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