parses the same as
To the compiler. Not to me.
char *a, b;
looks to the compiler, and to me, that a is a pointer to char and that b is a char.
char* a, b;
looks to the compiler like a is a pointer to char and b is a char, but looks to me like a and b are pointers to char.
I always put the * with the variable. I never put it with the type.