Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!mips!twg.com!dwh
From: dwh@twg.com (Dave W. Hamaker)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: MEL - A *Real* Programmer
Message-ID: <8242@gollum.twg.com>
Date: 8 Nov 90 23:33:59 GMT
References: <1990Oct23.235720.16178@nas.nasa.gov> <6089@nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu> <54296@brunix.UUCP> <5777@suned1.Nswses.Navy.MIL> <8187@gollum.twg.com> <9005@ncar.ucar.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: The Wollongong Group, Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 36

>   Gary Strand
>>  Dave W. Hamaker (me)
>>> Gordon C Zaft

>>> The real solution, of course, is to make people write a program, then, 3
>>> years later, have them revise it.  For people that weren't around 3 years
>>> earlier, have them revise someone else's code.  This will provide
>>> first-hand evidence of why one should write clear, well-commented code.

>> It has been my experience, on code I don't have to worry about others
>> having to maintain, that documenting each program on the assumption I
>> _will_ revisit it years hence (verses the cost of spending a little longer
>> reorienting myself on those I actually end up revisiting) seems to require
>> _more_ total time and effort.  In short, your solution does not work for
>> me.

> It does for me....
[Illustrative case report omitted.]
> So, even if you and only you are the sole person to ever see that code 
> (and have to maintain and/or use it) again, it's best to have plenty (of
> course, not excessive) documentation around, else you might be surprised....

You are generalizing from your own experience here.  It doesn't follow
that everyone else shares your experience, even if most people do.  No
doubt, you think I am just naive and haven't been bitten yet.  I've been
programming professionally for over twenty years.  Also, I didn't say I
don't believe people who tell me they comment their code primarily so
they can understand it later.  That it's true for them doesn't automatically
make it true for everyone; it doesn't even guarantee a majority, in and of
itself.

-Dave Hamaker
dwh@twg.com

P.S. inews doesn't like my reply being shorter than my quotes.  It's actually
forcing me to make this article _longer_ before it will accept my post.  Sigh.