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From: djbailey@SKYLER.MAVD.HONEYWELL.COM ("BAILEY, DON")
Newsgroups: comp.lang.icon
Subject: Re: Code Dichotomy
Message-ID: <9012202155.AA15557@megaron.cs.arizona.edu>
Date: 20 Dec 90 20:52:00 GMT
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Distribution: inet
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>Why is it, The prettier (and more consistent) the user interface, The
>uglier the code? Or maybe this is the mark of true software craftsman,
>to couple elegant looking (and readible) code with elegant looking and
>consistent functionality. Any comments?


I have a theory that there is a specific amount of mental effort
associated with solving a problem.  You can move the effort 
around but you can't get rid of it.  Computer programs that are driven
by the real world always seem to have some "naughty bits" that just
aren't very nice.  If you do solve a real world problem without any
"naughty bits" you have done well.  (Of course, your solution is 
resting on someone else's naughty bits in the language processor
or operating system.)