This is something I've struggled with for a while now...the question of line numbers. Having gotten my foundations in BASIC programming using BASICA and GWBASIC, I'm quite accustomed to using line numbers out of necessity. Then, in later schooling, we were granted the miracle that is QBASIC, and were forced by the teachers to not use line numbers at all (and eliminate all GOTOs, too...no more spaghetti code for us). Now that I'm learning Perl (and absolutely loving it), I am in a quandry over line numbers.

Many server log error messages will give a line number and nothing else to work with. Also, line numbers keep things organized. However, most people don't use that, at least, that I've seen (I saw a couple that did, hence why I ask), so I wonder...are they passé now? What are any benefits from them, and what are the disadvantages?

Just a theoretical question for you.

Oh...and thanks for all your help thusfar. I appreciate it!

Edited: ~Wed Jul 10 14:18:58 2002 (GMT), by footpad:
Added <P> tags to indicate author's original formatting.

In reply to A Quesiton of Numbers by Foncé

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