diff --git a/CODINGSTYLE.md b/CODINGSTYLE.md
index 32866d4e826431927a84585a9033244336135765..6b44c414fbed2bf5649d500d6ceb5294b681207a 100644
--- a/CODINGSTYLE.md
+++ b/CODINGSTYLE.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # OSv Coding Style
-This document describe OSv coding style.
+
+This is a coding style guide for OSv.  It is meant to be helpful, not a tool
+for bikeshedding patches on the mailing list.  The use of common sense when
+applying these rules is required.
 
 ## 1. Indentation and layout
 1.1 We use 4 spaces for indentation, no tabs.
@@ -55,6 +58,13 @@ template and its paramters.
    int& b;
 ...
 
+Please note that the rule obviously does not make sense when multiple variables
+are declared on the same line.  In such cases, it is preferable to do:
+
+...
+   int *a, *b;
+...
+
 ## 3. Braces
 3.1 Always use curly braces for if statement, even if it is a one line if.