[swift-evolution] SE-0025: Scoped Access Level, next steps

[Andrey Tarantsov]

> Why is it important to highlight word boundaries in so many other conventions in Swift but not in this one? What would be lost with this alternative?
> 
> public
> module_private
> file_private
> private
> 
> Is it just the extra (chorded, on US keyboards) keystroke? I think the readability benefits of clear word boundaries far outweigh the keystroke cost (especially with good editor auto-complete).

The keywords, unlike identifiers, are always the same. You don't need to parse them every time; ‘on an infinite timescale’, you get used to them and recognize them at a glance. So the value of adding an underscore (or, heaven forbid, camel case style) to a keyword is a lot less than with identifiers.

My personal completely subjective opinion is that the underscored ones look gross and pull too much attention onto themselves, rather than helping to focus on the identifiers. To me, this actually detracts from the overall readability of the entire line.

In other words: nothing says “nothing to see here, move along” quite like abunchofgibberishthrowntogether.

A.
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