[m-users.] Coding style

[Volker Wysk]

Hi, Ralph.

My position on this is that there should be a limit, but 80 columns is too
low. The nowadays larger screens should be made use of, especially for
programming. I have a 4k screen and I could, theoretically, use some 230
columns. I don't do that, of course. I split the screen vertically, so both
halfes have the FullHD width of 1920 pixels. Emacs goes into one of the
halfes and a terminal into the other. In the Emacs window, I use 100 columns
for source code.

I think, 100 columns would be a good compromise.

Cheers,
Volker

Am Mittwoch, dem 21.01.2026 um 06:15 +0000 schrieb Ralph Becket:
> 
> Hi everybody,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Happy New Year!
> 
> 
> About twenty years back, when I left Mercury to start in mainstream
> commercial programming, monitors were a lot narrower.  There was a strong
> feeling then that 80 columns was the Right and Proper Line Length. 
> Nowadays, of course, monitors are much more generous.  While I reject
> uncontrolled line lengths, 80 columns seems painfully tight.  (I think the
> Linux developers moved away from this some years ago).  That said, when
> (back) in Rome, do as the Romans do.  So: what's the modern community
> position on this?
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> Ralph
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