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I just started reading C by Dennis Ritchie and in the second chapter, I went through the page which I attached as an image where I didn't understand the first line of the second paragraph can someone help me with it.

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P0W
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Haricharan Reddy
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    It says (internal) variable names shorter than 32 characters long are guaranteed to be handled as spelled (that is, names inside a function, etc). Names of 32 or more characters could (at the time) be confused for each other if the first 31 characters are the same. The limit for global variables could be shorter — the C90 standard was only able to mandate 6 letters. The limits have been lifted since then. – Jonathan Leffler Aug 22 '19 at 08:12
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    What I like most about this great book is the use of the word "traditional" - in my mind at least a tradition takes more than a few years to establish - C was still in nappies when the first edition of this book was printed. Indeed some 50 years on, yes you can say "traditional". – Bathsheba Aug 22 '19 at 08:13
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    @Bathsheba: Oh, I don't think it has to be 50 years; 50 months is often enough in the world of computing. Besides, C originated around 1972 — that's 47 years ago, which is getting close to 50 years on. – Jonathan Leffler Aug 22 '19 at 08:14
  • C++ manages to standardize an incompatible version of itself every 3 years or so; that is another sort of *tradition*. Sadly,(std)-C is swirling down the same drain; but traditional-C will likely live on well beyond it. – mevets Aug 22 '19 at 08:24
  • @mevets: Funny you think that. Personally I think that C++11 is a scaled down version of God. – Bathsheba Aug 22 '19 at 08:33
  • This is completely outdated dinosaur stuff, nothing you need to worry about. I'd advise to get rid of K&R and pick some newer book instead. That is, unless you strive to become a 1970s programmer instead of a 2010s programmer. – Lundin Aug 22 '19 at 08:48

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