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Comment by balloot | Hacker News Reader

So why not make it 60 characters? Then you could have 4 files side by side!

But seriously - I guess there is some workflow where you would like to have 3 files side by side, but I certainly have never felt like that is something I need. I would much rather have readable, verbose variable names, which I have found to be the first thing to get axed in an 80 char column setup.

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Three files side by side is extremely common for those of us who have to regularly resolve merge conflicts. You put the common ancestor in the middle and the diverging changes on either side, then you edit both sets of changes in to that middle buffer.

I resolve merge conflicts as well. Every system I've ever used gives you one file with delineated chunks (<<<<, === >>>). Never once have I said "this is too difficult - I need three windows open." And even if I did say that sometimes, I can't imagine optimizing the character width of my code for that one use case.

The most definite thing that should be taken from a thread like this is that it usually boils down to personal preference. In fact I'd say that personal preference in these matters should take at least as much preference as any available emperical studies. If you're in a group, and you don't get your way in the coding standards meeting, accept it and move on. You can do it! :)

60 characters? Why, that's just not done.

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