Showing difference in scope and clarity between object literal assignment to prototype object rather than direct assignment of methods to method properties.

object-literal-refactor.js

// Compare the following. In this snippet it's unclear in what context these methods are defined

  , pipe: function (dest) {
      if (typeof dest.add == 'function' && this._options.type == 'fstream') {
        this._dataEvent = 'entry'
        this.on('entry', function (data) {
          var entry = new BufferStream()
          entry.path = data.key.toString()
          entry.type = 'File'
          entry.props = {
              type: 'File'
            , path: data.key.toString()
          }
          entry.once('data', process.nextTick.bind(null, entry.end.bind(entry)))
          entry.pause()
          if (dest.add(entry) === false) {
            this.pause()
          }
          entry.write(data.value)
        }.bind(this))
      }
      return Stream.prototype.pipe.apply(this, arguments)
    }

  , _read: function () {
      if (this._status == 'ready') {
        this._status = 'reading'
        this._iterator.next(this._cleanup.bind(this), this._onData.bind(this))
      }
    }

// Here it's immediately clear what methods we are defining.

ReadStream.prototype.pipe = function (dest) {
  if (typeof dest.add == 'function' && this._options.type == 'fstream') {
    this._dataEvent = 'entry'
    this.on('entry', function (data) {
      var entry = new BufferStream()
      entry.path = data.key.toString()
      entry.type = 'File'
      entry.props = {
        type: 'File'
        , path: data.key.toString()
      }
      entry.once('data', process.nextTick.bind(null, entry.end.bind(entry)))
      entry.pause()
      if (dest.add(entry) === false) {
        this.pause()
      }
      entry.write(data.value)
    }.bind(this))
  }
  return Stream.prototype.pipe.apply(this, arguments)
}

ReadStream.prototype._read = function () {
  if (this._status == 'ready') {
    this._status = 'reading'
    this._iterator.next(this._cleanup.bind(this), this._onData.bind(this))
  }
}

You know, I dealt with this very issue today while navigating the jqGrid source. Both are obviously functional, but the second is much more readable, especially when starting from a breakpoint or a text search. My style has been the former in the past, I think I'll promote the later.