I just noticed a certain ``usage'' in a recent posting, and couldn't
restrain my self from commenting. The usage was of the form
``if(X==TRUE)''
where X was a logical variable.
This sort of thing is brought to you by your Department of Redundancy
Department. The ``==TRUE'' bit is irrelevant, incompetent, and
immaterial,
as Perry Mason used to say. The value of X==TRUE is exactly the same as
the value of X when X is a logical variable. If X is not a logical
variable
a lot of strange things can happen, depending on the nature of X.
It is safer and takes 6 fewer key strokes to use ``if(X)''. So why not
do that, eh?
cheers,
Rolf Turner
P. S. The example that triggered this post actually used ``if(X==T)''.
This is doubly dangerous since ``T'' can be overwritten. If it was
overwritten you'd get toadally wrong answers. E.g., suppose you had
set
T <- FALSE # !!!
***ALWAYS USE ``TRUE'' AND ``FALSE'' FOR LOGICAL VALUES.
DO NOT USE ``T'' AND ``F''.***
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