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>>* Maybe it's a mess because the original design was fundamentally wrong and it really can't be guided into the right form. >> >>* Maybe it's a mess because pe
by sankara 16y ago
>>* Maybe it's a mess because the original design was fundamentally wrong and it really can't be guided into the right form.
>>
>>* Maybe it's a mess because people kept adding features without really understanding how it worked, so their additions didn't fit the architecture/design/structure.
I'm not looking to blame anyone. Whatever has happened, has happened already (I'm not ignoring the learnings) and I'm just looking to improve things.
- RiderOfGiraffes 16y agoBlame is not the point. Assume that the original authors aren't stupid. Maybe they were, but assume they weren't. Now ask - how did this get in such a mess? Why did this get in such a mess? How do I know that if I rewrite it I won't make the same mess? If you can't answer that then you can't decide whether to re-write or refactor. Knowing why it got in a mess is a crucial piece of information. Are you cleverer than the original authors? Do you know more than them about the problem? Remember, they spent ages writing that code - they know lots about the problem. Are you sure you understand it better? Unless you can answer absolutely, unequivocally yes then you shouldn't rewrite. You should work to improve the existing code in small pieces. Only when you believe you understand it better than the original authors should you make the decision to rewrite. Otherwise you are mostly likely to spend a lot of time recreating their mistakes.
- sankara 16y agoI'm sorry if I misread. It is a combination of two. As I had mentioned in a previous comment everything from process to environment to developers has changed for the better. Thank you all for your valuable suggestions.