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This is a fucking arrogant article. I would love to see this blogger try to maintain a large codebase after several development cycles in the real world. To c

This is a fucking arrogant article. I would love to see this blogger try to maintain a large codebase after several development cycles in the real world. To come into someone else's codebase that has umpteen number of iterations and tough business realities like trying to make money, and proclaiming that it's terrible code and how he would fix it, is delusional and self-aggrandizing. Most production code needs to be revamped every few years because the subsequent unforeseen functionalities that was forced by product managers and customers. That code is usually going against the grain of the original code but you can't blame the original designers because it was never spec'ed out. The best code is the code that is easiest to manipulate and modify, but even then it gets old and needs a rewrite. There's nothing wrong with that, except thinking you can comment on the shitty code and thinking your above it and how you would never let it happen.

lettersdigits 10y ago
> The best code is the code that is easiest to manipulate and modify this great (IMO) article comes to mind: http://programmingisterrible.com/post/139222674273/write-code-that-is-easy-to-delete-not-easy-to http://programmingisterrible.com/post/139222674273/write-cod... : "Write code that is easy to delete, not easy to extend"
- robnagler 10y ago
  Excellent article, thanks.
jlg23 10y ago
> To come into someone else's codebase that has umpteen number of iterations and tough business realities like trying to make money, and proclaiming that it's terrible code and how he would fix it, is delusional and self-aggrandizing. And yet that is exactly the reality one faces in such projects (because the only valid code metric is "WTFs/minute" [1]. Point is, I've never heard anybody complaining about arrogance until now - usually the devs are very well aware where and how their code sucks and they usually are overly apologetic even though I understand the constraints the code was written under (some of which you described). [1] http://www.osnews.com/images/comics/wtfm.jpg http://www.osnews.com/images/comics/wtfm.jpg
dang 10y ago
> This is a fucking arrogant article. Please don't do this here. Even if you're right, it steers discussion in a ranty direction.

lettersdigits 10y ago

> The best code is the code that is easiest to manipulate and modify this great (IMO) article comes to mind: http://programmingisterrible.com/post/139222674273/write-code-that-is-easy-to-delete-not-easy-to http://programmingisterrible.com/post/139222674273/write-cod... : "Write code that is easy to delete, not easy to extend"

robnagler 10y ago
Excellent article, thanks.

jlg23 10y ago

> To come into someone else's codebase that has umpteen number of iterations and tough business realities like trying to make money, and proclaiming that it's terrible code and how he would fix it, is delusional and self-aggrandizing. And yet that is exactly the reality one faces in such projects (because the only valid code metric is "WTFs/minute" [1]. Point is, I've never heard anybody complaining about arrogance until now - usually the devs are very well aware where and how their code sucks and they usually are overly apologetic even though I understand the constraints the code was written under (some of which you described). [1] http://www.osnews.com/images/comics/wtfm.jpg http://www.osnews.com/images/comics/wtfm.jpg

dang 10y ago

> This is a fucking arrogant article. Please don't do this here. Even if you're right, it steers discussion in a ranty direction.