Ah, but it isn't common sense. In old-time C, for example, you wouldn't write something like that. Instead, you would write something like:

#define STATUS1 (1 << 0)
#define STATUS2 (1 << 1)
#define STATUS3 (1 << 2)
#define STATUS4 (1 << 3)
...
typedef int Status;
...
Status product_status = 0;
...
if (product_status & (STATUS1 | STATUS2))
{
// Do stuff here
}
[download]

It's imperative programming, man! You gotta be in control or you lose your job! (Think about it - if you couldn't point to incomprehensible code, your PHB would find someone who could. I mean, if anyone could write code that works, then how do you justify your 6-figure consulting fee?)

Also, writing good class interfaces requires both time and understanding of the business domain. Maybe your world allows for these, but no application I've ever had the (mis)fortune to work on has ever been in that most blessed of states. (No, that isn't Texas, either.)

------
We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Don't go borrowing trouble. For programmers, this means Worry only about what you need to implement.

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.

---

---

• Are you posting in the right place? Check out Where do I post X? to know for sure.
• Posts may use any of the Perl Monks Approved HTML tags. Currently these include the following:

  <code> <a> <b> <big> <blockquote> <br /> <dd> <dl> <dt> <em> <font> <h1> <h2> <h3> <h4> <h5> <h6> <hr /> <i> <li> <nbsp> <ol> <p> <small> <strike> <strong> <sub> <sup> <table> <td> <th> <tr> <tt> <u> <ul>

• Snippets of code should be wrapped in <code> tags not <pre> tags. In fact, <pre> tags should generally be avoided. If they must be used, extreme care should be taken to ensure that their contents do not have long lines (<70 chars), in order to prevent horizontal scrolling (and possible janitor intervention).
• Want more info? How to link or How to display code and escape characters are good places to start.