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Here's the thing though - most programmers are not working on "genuinely difficult problems". Yes, abstraction is a useful tool but like many tools it's harmful

by teej 9y ago

Here's the thing though - most programmers are not working on "genuinely difficult problems". Yes, abstraction is a useful tool but like many tools it's harmful if used improperly. Code has a tendency to live way longer than a programmer expects. Writing code that is simple, quickly grokable, and low risk to change is really important. Especially when 3 generations of software developers have come and gone between the original author and the current maintainer. I think falcolas's philosophy is spot on - treat most problems plainly and simply. In the rare event a genuinely difficult problem arises, use your tools to get it done right.

stouset 9y ago
Abstraction is the process by which you now have the privilege of saying that what most developers do is not a hard problem. There's a reason why we're solving the problems of today today, and not two decades ago. You're right that code is read many more times than it's written. That doesn't argue against abstraction — it argues for it. But it argues for choosing the right abstractions, and that's where I feel like we do a poor job as an industry. I've worked in large code bases with no abstractions and the grass is assuredly not greener. Every solution to every problem is as I said before — akin to reading directions specified in pedal pressure and steering wheel angles, rather than in terms of streets and turns.
- clusmore 9y ago
  > You're right that code is read many more times than it's written. That doesn't argue against abstraction — it argues for it. But it argues for choosing the right abstractions, and that's where I feel like we do a poor job as an industry. Completely agree with this point. My go-to example of why abstraction should be used to increase readability is street directions. Imagine somebody asks you for directions to a restaurant, and consider how different your answer would be depending on how well the other person knows the city. If they are a tourist, you might need to give them very detailed directions, down to the level of "go forward X blocks, turn left, continue for Y blocks", etc. Conversely if they are a native, the directions could simply be "It's right next to Z". Obviously the latter directions are useless to the tourist but the former are far from ideal for the native -- it's just way to verbose, easy to forget and easy to get confused by. Understand your audience.

by teej 9y ago

stouset 9y ago

Abstraction is the process by which you now have the privilege of saying that what most developers do is not a hard problem. There's a reason why we're solving the problems of today today, and not two decades ago. You're right that code is read many more times than it's written. That doesn't argue against abstraction — it argues for it. But it argues for choosing the right abstractions, and that's where I feel like we do a poor job as an industry. I've worked in large code bases with no abstractions and the grass is assuredly not greener. Every solution to every problem is as I said before — akin to reading directions specified in pedal pressure and steering wheel angles, rather than in terms of streets and turns.

clusmore 9y ago
> You're right that code is read many more times than it's written. That doesn't argue against abstraction — it argues for it. But it argues for choosing the right abstractions, and that's where I feel like we do a poor job as an industry. Completely agree with this point. My go-to example of why abstraction should be used to increase readability is street directions. Imagine somebody asks you for directions to a restaurant, and consider how different your answer would be depending on how well the other person knows the city. If they are a tourist, you might need to give them very detailed directions, down to the level of "go forward X blocks, turn left, continue for Y blocks", etc. Conversely if they are a native, the directions could simply be "It's right next to Z". Obviously the latter directions are useless to the tourist but the former are far from ideal for the native -- it's just way to verbose, easy to forget and easy to get confused by. Understand your audience.