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I hate this attitude. If your code targets my system, I should be able to install it without editing it. You certainly should, but it isn't the coder's respons
by andreyf 17y ago
I hate this attitude. If your code targets my system, I should be able to install it without editing it.
You certainly should, but it isn't the coder's responsibility to make this possible. It's the language/system designer's.
Just because C doesn't let you deploy nicely has nothing to do with djb's ability to create beautifully architected code, which is what Aaron is praising. I'm sure djb could have written equally beautiful code in Squeak Smalltalk, and it would have been a breeze to deploy, but had no impact on how elegant the code itself was.
- astine 17y agoC does let you deploy nicely. A makefile and some discipline are almost all you need. Granted it's not always easy to write a sane makefile, but that is the coder's and not the installer's responsibility.
- andreyf 17y agoI don't think it's every C coder's responsibility to know how to make and ship good makefiles. It's certainly is helpful if she does, but it seems silly to say that's a responsibility, just as it isn't the responsibility of an artist to know the laws governing international sales of her artwork.
- kelnos 17y agoSure, but it all depends on the coder's goals. If there's a competing option that's easier to install, prospective users may go with something else. If the coder doesn't care and isn't looking for users, then that's fine.