Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!ukc!tcdcs!swift.cs.tcd.ie!ccvax.ucd.ie!b_haughey
From: b_haughey@ccvax.ucd.ie (Brian J Haughey)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: In defence of *Real* programming  - was Re: MEL - A *Real* Programmer
Message-ID: <7386.2726d343@ccvax.ucd.ie>
Date: 25 Oct 90 11:57:54 GMT
References: <7380.271c3129@ccvax.ucd.ie> <1990Oct23.235720.16178@nas.nasa.gov> <6089@nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu>
Organization: University College Dublin
Lines: 48

In article <6089@nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu>, smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) writes:
> In article <1990Oct23.235720.16178@nas.nasa.gov> 
> 
>>                  ... The instructor went on,
>>"don't ever write code like this! Considering the fact that none of you
>>were able to figure out what it did demonstrates that it is very
>>poor code".
>>
>>In otherwords, be clever when you have to, not just to show off.
> 
> Exactly.  Fortunately as a new student to programming I have a very
> good instructor who emphasizes this very thing.  In the first weeks
> of class he has already emphasized portability and threatened to
> anonymously distribute each of our own programs to the rest of the
> class just to see if WE can be easily deciphered by our own colleagues.

I don't want to start a whole thread on this topic, but I feel I couldn't
let this stuff pass.

First of all, when I write code I make no apologies for its succintness
or cleverness. The project I am working on involves writing code in
assembler for the 1802 microprocessor. (Please ! No flames ! If it's
good enough for space probes...). Because of the relatively small 
address space, we are hard-pressed to fit in all the features and capabilities
that we are committed to doing, even using bank-switching and other
methods.

I do not write obscure code for the sake of being obscure. Any code I write
is designed to be as small and fast as possible. If it is not clear what
the code does, then I comment it. But I will be damned if I will ignore the
optimal (or a more optimal) algorithm for the sake of some moron who
is brain-dead and can't figure it out from the code and comments.

It seems to me that there is a strong element of quiche-eating entering
computers these days. Perhaps it's that people who heretofore would not
have taken to computers now feel "Ah, computers are very important. I
should learn to program". Frankly, most of these people probably have no
aptitude for hard-core programming. Sure, they can write payrolls and
lotus macros. But they certainly shouldn't have the cheek to criticise the
code of a better programmer merely because they can't understand it.
Once the code is properly commented, and is efficient, it is sufficient !   

Flames to Alt.Flame or Alt.Stupidity
Witty articles to Comp.misc

Regards, bjh                 "There's no future in time travel"

Internet : b_haughey@ccvax.ucd.ie