Re: Loops (was Re: do { quit; } else { })

On Sun, 04 May 2025 07:31:11 -0700
Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> wrote:

Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> writes:
 

On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 11:30:24 +0100
bart <bc@freeuk.com> wrote:
 

Let me ask you this:  what exactly is the point of the 'while'
statement in C?  Since it can always be trivially be written as:
>
    for (;cond;)
>
It seems to that most use cases (initialise, check exit condition,
change something that affects the letter), would suit 'for' better.
>
But since 'for' then becomes overloaded, there ought to be a
dedicated feature for simple iteration.  So it seems the solution
is as a I suggested above. 

>
I suspect that 'while' loop is here in C because Dennis Ritchie
wanted 'do .. while() ' and thought that if the keyword is here
anyway than why not reuse it? 

 
According to K&R, all of the basic control structures in C -- if,
while, for, do, and switch (and listed in that order) -- were
provided in BCPL, though not using the same syntax as in C,.
 

In the hindsight, probably a mistake. 

 
I admit I don't understand this reaction.

I don't like reuse of keyboards. Neither of 'while' nor of 'break' nor
of 'static' (even more so in C++) nor use of 'long' modifier both for
integer and for floating-point types.
Double meaning of 'while' adds unnecessary mental load for a code
reader. Not a lot of it, but still unnecessary.
Also having just one form of loop with pre-condition strikes me as more
elegant. Since elegance is strongly subjective, I have no logical
arguments in support of me feelings.