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Why do people continue to use this term "code smell", instead of "hard to read code" or something similar, more equivalent??? First seem almost offensive to an

Why do people continue to use this term "code smell", instead of "hard to read code" or something similar, more equivalent??? First seem almost offensive to an author.

dragonwriter 2y ago
“Code smell” does not mean “hard to read code”, it means “an unreliable but still useful indication that there may be something wrong in the design of the code connected to the piece described as having the ‘smell’”. And the reason it continues to be used is that it is a concise idiom that is useful.
- danielEM 2y ago
  "an unreliable but still useful indication that there may be something wrong in the design of the code" Well, but you just proved the point - it can be described in non offensive manner. And more over, judging something based on gut feeling ("indication") may be actually even worse, as you may offend someone who did actually a good job. Sorry if "nit picking", recently was reading a lot about burn outs in the industry, and this is a thing that did catch my attention...
  - tpoacher 2y ago
    I don't think it's meant to be offensive. It's "smell" in the same sense as "something smells fishy here", or "I smell trouble", with smell serving the analogy of being the least specific of your senses, alluding to having a non-specific feeling rather than hard evidence about something. In theory there's no implication of a "repulsive / offensive smell" or "ew this code smells" in the phrase, like you seem to perceive it. Granted, these things are subjective, but it's similar to complaining about the term black humour being racist, when black in this context is not meant to have any racial context.
    - danielEM 2y ago
      Agree, these are subjective, at the same time, when I think of it again, from technical standpoint such a comment or CR would be very low quality comment/CR.
gorjusborg 2y ago
An author is not their work. People should not be offended if others critique their work in good faith. Nobody's fragile ego is worth censoring discussion seeking truth. Code smell is something that implies deeper issues but isn't usually a serious issue by itself. I am sorry if you've been assaulted by bad code reviews, but a 'code smell' is a useful idea and term.

Why do people continue to use this term "code smell", instead of "hard to read code" or something similar, more equivalent??? First seem almost offensive to an author.

dragonwriter 2y ago

“Code smell” does not mean “hard to read code”, it means “an unreliable but still useful indication that there may be something wrong in the design of the code connected to the piece described as having the ‘smell’”. And the reason it continues to be used is that it is a concise idiom that is useful.

danielEM 2y ago
"an unreliable but still useful indication that there may be something wrong in the design of the code" Well, but you just proved the point - it can be described in non offensive manner. And more over, judging something based on gut feeling ("indication") may be actually even worse, as you may offend someone who did actually a good job. Sorry if "nit picking", recently was reading a lot about burn outs in the industry, and this is a thing that did catch my attention...
- tpoacher 2y ago
  I don't think it's meant to be offensive. It's "smell" in the same sense as "something smells fishy here", or "I smell trouble", with smell serving the analogy of being the least specific of your senses, alluding to having a non-specific feeling rather than hard evidence about something. In theory there's no implication of a "repulsive / offensive smell" or "ew this code smells" in the phrase, like you seem to perceive it. Granted, these things are subjective, but it's similar to complaining about the term black humour being racist, when black in this context is not meant to have any racial context.
  - danielEM 2y ago
    Agree, these are subjective, at the same time, when I think of it again, from technical standpoint such a comment or CR would be very low quality comment/CR.

gorjusborg 2y ago

An author is not their work. People should not be offended if others critique their work in good faith. Nobody's fragile ego is worth censoring discussion seeking truth. Code smell is something that implies deeper issues but isn't usually a serious issue by itself. I am sorry if you've been assaulted by bad code reviews, but a 'code smell' is a useful idea and term.