How is that more readable? It's identical except for ":" -> ";", and some extra symbols added. Needing to repeat "m" seems seems redundant, and particularly bad for readability as it moves the actual condition far away from the "if".

It is better IMO because it doesn't merge two things into one. It simply translates to `if <assignment>; <condition> { <body> }` as a generic rule. Variable used in condition may or may not be the same one in assignment. Bundling assignment and condition is what people don't like about this feature.