Pet peeve: optional comma - Page 5

BottlesOf · #41 10-12-2005, 02:24 PM

Absolutely not. I STRONGLY preffer option B and find A a little irritating. The comma isn't optional it's unecessary, IMO.

bobman0330 · #42 10-12-2005, 02:33 PM

[ QUOTE ]
(A) I had pancakes, eggs, and sausage for breakfast.
(B) I had pancakes, eggs and sausage for breakfast.

The missing comma in (B) is optional. However, it really irritates me when it's missing. Why? I don't know.

Does this irritate anyone else?

[/ QUOTE ]

A is clearly correct, but too many people are lazy and ignorant, so B is more common. Said people are too deluded to believe that they're lazy and ignorant, so they insist that B is correct. Thus language evolves...

Classic example of the need for the oxford comma:
"This book is dedicated to my parents, God and Ayn Rand."

elwoodblues · #43 10-12-2005, 02:41 PM

To all those who like prefer option B - Which of the following can be said based on the following:

I went to the store with my brothers, Mark and Ron.

Are Mark and Ron my brothers, or did I go to the store with at least four people?

Written this way: I went to the store with my brothers, Mark, and Ron. It is MUCH more clear and we can omit the comma in cases ONLY in the exceptional case (like where my brothers are named Mark and Ron.)

fnord_too · #44 10-12-2005, 02:55 PM

I prefer A, even though some claim it is wrong. I like A bacuase, in rare cases, B can lead to ambiguity and I am a nit. I also like having my opening brace on its own line, even though most IDEs and text put them on the line with the block definition.

(For the non coders,
Code:<hr /><pre>
public void useless() {
int x = 0;
}
</pre><hr />
is far infrerior to
Code:<hr /><pre>
public void useless()
{
int x = 0;
}
</pre><hr />

though
Code:<hr /><pre>
public void useless() {int x = 0;}
</pre><hr />

is ok by me.)

BoogerFace · #45 10-12-2005, 03:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Y,S,S,C,K,Y

[/ QUOTE ]

BIMO!

Your Mom · #46 10-12-2005, 04:01 PM

I despise B. It makes it sound like the last 2 in the series are together which is dumb.

raisins · #47 10-12-2005, 04:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]
yes ironic that i can at some times in my life write "correctly"

[/ QUOTE ]

Ironic? No. Surprising? Very.

raisins