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Names (User-defined Identifiers)

• Design issues:
  • Maximum length?
  • Are connector characters allowed?
  • Are names case sensitive?
  • Are special words reserved words or keywords?

• Length
  • FORTRAN I: maximum 6
  • COBOL: maximum 30
  • FORTRAN 90 and ANSI C: maximum 31
  • Ada: no limit, and all are significant
  • C++: no limit, but implementers often impose one

• Connector characters (e.g., _ )
  • Pascal, Modula-2, and FORTRAN 77 don't allow
  • Others do