6 char externs and the ANSI standard

[warren]

[This is not a sentence]

	Six character identifiers are much too short for significant
	software.  There is much to be gained by defining a larger
	minimum, we all know the benefits.  The worst single result is
	unintented synonyms created when the first 6 letters in an
	identifier match, as in

	int record_count;
	int record_type;

	The worst error in the C language was in allowing identifier names to
	be longer than the number of significant characters.  This is an 
	invitation to disaster.  If possible the ANSI commitee should remove
	this "feature".  Compilers should be forced to at least produce
	warnings.  Although if a compiler can produce warnings, it can handle
	longer names...  

	If a minimum must be specified, let it be 16 or 20, at least.

						teltone!warren