[Biopython-dev] [Wg-phyloinformatics] BioGeography update/BioPython tree module discussion

Nick Matzke matzke at berkeley.edu
Tue Aug 4 18:28:33 UTC 2009


Hilmar Lapp wrote:
> 
> On Aug 4, 2009, at 1:01 PM, Nick Matzke wrote:
> 
>> * ObsRecs (observation records & search results/summary)
>> * ObsRec (an individual observation record)
> 
> 
> I'll let the Biopython folks make the call on this, but in general I'd 
> recommend to everyone trying to write reusable code to spell out names, 
> especially non-local names.
> 
> The days in which the length of a variable or class name was somehow 
> limited or affected the speed of a program are definitely over since 
> more than a decade. I know the temptation is big to save on a few 
> keystrokes every time you have to type the name, but the time that you 
> will cause your fellow programmers who will later try to understand your 
> code is vastly greater. What prevents me from thinking that ObsRec is a 
> class for an obsolete recording?


Good point, this is easy to fix, I will put it on the list. Cheers!
Nick



> 
> Just my $0.02 :-)
> 
>     -hilmar

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Nicholas J. Matzke
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