If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say something like that, PM would never have to beg for money. The issue isn't whether or not your specific data file at this specific instance will or will not break your syntax. The issue is whether or not that syntax is the better way to write it. Why introduce a potential bug into your code?

Now, your reply is that you know where the issue is and you won't make that mistake when it matters.

My reply to that is simple - why get into a bad habit? Always code with good habits. My swim coach in 3rd grade was never happy with "Practice makes perfect" ... he believe in "Perfect practice makes perfect". I hated him at the time, but I thank him now.

You are right about good habits of course. The previous rev of this code snippet looked like:


while(defined($row = <$fh>)) {
  chomp($row);
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I thought it was silly to use defined when the return value from chomp suits my purposes in this particular instance.

-Blake