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Software Engineering

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    I think the question is why do you print out code on paper? Commented Jan 10, 2011 at 20:45
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    I can't speak for how common it is to print out code, but unless the printer is a relic from a long-forgotten time, it can print out more than 80 characters per line. 80 characters is used to foster readability and historically because many terminals were only 80 columns wide, not because of printers. Commented Jan 10, 2011 at 20:47
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    @Mark Actually 80 characters comes from when code was written on punch cards which were 80 characters wide. And the first 6 were for control codes and line numbers. That's why FORTRAN code has to start at column 7. Commented Jan 10, 2011 at 20:51
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    @Aaron - that's probably good on Programmers' Commented Jan 10, 2011 at 20:52
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    @Aaron - Programmers' is meant for the more subjective (but still constructive) questions that surround our profession. Commented Jan 10, 2011 at 21:23