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> "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter" I don't like seeing this quote in the context of programming. Sure, they're both about writing,
by cytzol 7y ago
> "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter"
I don't like seeing this quote in the context of programming.
Sure, they're both about writing, but in different settings. A person who writes a letter has one goal: for the intent of the letter to be understood by the recipient. However, a programmer writing code has two goals: not only for the intent of the code to be understood by future programmers, but also to make the code easy to change in response to unknown requirements without causing any regressions.
The article is a bit all-over-the-place, but I do agree with it in general, because I've seen far more bugs in production caused by changing code than by adding it. Therefore, I would rather use a language with advanced features I can use to make my code harder to change in the wrong way. I think that if you phrase it like that, it makes it more acceptable to "avoid simplicity".
- karmakaze 7y agoI get what you mean but tend to think of them to be so.ilar with in a different respect--that the concepts being expressed are clear. If the reason why code is organized by n a certain way is clear along with its effect then there would not be the motivation to stray from it. The problem is that often the organization is the result of achieving multiple effects rather than behaviorial factoring.
- renox 7y ago>> "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter" >I don't like seeing this quote in the context of programming. Maybe you're overthinking it? Just yesterday I delivered a temporary fix with copy/pasted code inside because I didn't have the time to make the 'correct' code..