No, all of that example was malpractice in the 80s when it was written. Note the context: it's highlighted as malpractice in a talk by Brian Kernighan!
OK, ignoring the s/Brian/Dennis/ snafu... WTF is a "code drivel"? What are you trying to say here?
Second, your point is irrelevant: It's pointless to write a book about driving cars and fill it with a long rant about how riding motorcycles is so much better. It's a non sequitur, and false advertising. Much like how this book is presented as a good resource for learning C and is, in fact, a horrible example of precisely how little the author understood C.
> Then we can argue that back in those times it was something progressive etc.
Aside from your infelicitous attempt at English, this is wrong: This book was never good, and claiming it was insults the past.
i dont know, awk has its faults -- but blaming it for C?