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"How can a new developer just memorize all that stuff? “Code Complete“, the greatest exponent in this matter, is 960 pages long!" First... do not memorize, but

"How can a new developer just memorize all that stuff? “Code Complete“, the greatest exponent in this matter, is 960 pages long!" First... do not memorize, but internalize, understand why they work, and when to apply which one. Use them to solve the problem of your code been read in 6 month by a serial killer that know your address. Second... 960 pages. If you really want to advance the craft, if you really want to become a better developer, then you don't measure by the number of pages (<sarcasm>what a sacrifice, I have to read</sarcasm>), you measure by the amount of gold advice on the book. 960 pages is a lot of gold. Third... If you read the whole blog and understood the value in following the Cliff notes to the Cliff notes that this post is, then you should be looking forward to read the 960 pages.

phaed 10y ago
Was about to come here to say this. This stuff was all written down decades ago.
pyre 10y ago
> Second... 960 pages. If you really want to advance the craft, if you really want to become a better developer, then you don't measure by the number of pages (<sarcasm>what a sacrifice, I have to read</sarcasm>), you measure by the amount of gold advice on the book. 960 pages is a lot of gold. I think that comment on the page length was just on the volume of stuff that one would have to memorize if they were to memorize (rather than internalize) the knowledge.
TeMPOraL 10y ago
960 pages is a light reading IMO :). One can hardly find a better time investment than reading a good book on a useful subject. Especially today, when quite often you can easily get access to the best knowledge mankind has on a topic. Books are awesome!
joe_the_user 10y ago
As books go, Code Complete isn't intended to be memorized but to be understood. I would imagine a coder already having an internal model of how to write code and using a book like Code Complete tweak and improve that model. Also, I read something like Code Complete for the same reason I've read the parent blog. Even though I feel like I know the basic points here, writing good code inevitably is a trade-off and so one more idea of how to make the trade-off is useful.

phaed 10y ago

Was about to come here to say this. This stuff was all written down decades ago.

pyre 10y ago

> Second... 960 pages. If you really want to advance the craft, if you really want to become a better developer, then you don't measure by the number of pages (<sarcasm>what a sacrifice, I have to read</sarcasm>), you measure by the amount of gold advice on the book. 960 pages is a lot of gold. I think that comment on the page length was just on the volume of stuff that one would have to memorize if they were to memorize (rather than internalize) the knowledge.

TeMPOraL 10y ago

960 pages is a light reading IMO :). One can hardly find a better time investment than reading a good book on a useful subject. Especially today, when quite often you can easily get access to the best knowledge mankind has on a topic. Books are awesome!

joe_the_user 10y ago

As books go, Code Complete isn't intended to be memorized but to be understood. I would imagine a coder already having an internal model of how to write code and using a book like Code Complete tweak and improve that model. Also, I read something like Code Complete for the same reason I've read the parent blog. Even though I feel like I know the basic points here, writing good code inevitably is a trade-off and so one more idea of how to make the trade-off is useful.