some small fixes

surnames.c

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #define MIN_COUNT 10000
 
 /*
- * Usage: pipe dblp.xml to the programm or have it in the same folder as the program
+ * Usage: pipe dblp.xml to the program or have it in the same folder as the program
  */
 
 void string_ncopy(char *dest, const char *src, size_t max_len) {
@@ -27,10 +27,12 @@ typedef struct person {
     int count;
 } person;
 
-void newPerson(person *p, const char *name) {
+person* newPerson(const char *name) {
+    person *p = (person *) malloc(sizeof(person));
     string_ncopy(p->name, name, BUFFER_LENGTH);
     p->count = 1;
     p->next = NULL;
+    return p;
 }
 
 void sorted_name_insert(person **head, char *name) {
@@ -43,8 +45,7 @@ void sorted_name_insert(person **head, char *name) {
         p = p->next;
     }
 
-    person *node = (person *) malloc(sizeof(person));
-    newPerson(node, name);
+    person *node = newPerson(name);
 
     if (*head == NULL || strcmp((*head)->name, name) > 0) {
         node->next = *head;