Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!mcvax!ukc!stl!stc!datlog!dlhpedg!cl
From: cl@datlog.co.uk (Charles Lambert)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Posessive programming
Message-ID: <759@dlhpedg.co.uk>
Date: 28 Apr 88 12:27:59 GMT
References: <528@vsi.UUCP> <1066@mcgill-vision.UUCP>
Sender: news@dlhpedg.co.uk
Reply-To: cl@datlog.co.uk (Charles Lambert)
Distribution: comp
Organization: FSD@Data Logic Ltd, Queens House, Greenhill Way, Harrow, London.
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In article <1066@mcgill-vision.UUCP> mouse@mcgill-vision.UUCP (der Mouse)
 writes on the subject "Style rules for C shops":
>... the only case where one person should work on another person's
>code is when the responsibility for that piece of code changes hands as
>well.  (The "too many cooks" argument - with software, as with *most*
>other things, I believe that "too many" means "more than one".)

This disturbs me deeply;  it is an advocation of ego-bound programming.
No piece of code should be "owned" by one person to the extent that nobody
else may work on it.  That simply conceals and encourages idiosynchrasy,
which is the bane of maintenance.  A piece of code should be common property,
and the style of it should be arbitrated by group inspection and a common
philosophy.  This encourages cohesion,  disseminates good idioms,  and
promotes egoless programming.

-----------------
Charles Lambert