Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!think!ames!pacbell!ptsfa!jmc
From: jmc@ptsfa.PacBell.COM (Jerry Carlin)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Basics of Program Design
Message-ID: <4365@ptsfa.PacBell.COM>
Date: 20 Jun 88 15:12:01 GMT
References: <900@td2cad.intel.com>
Reply-To: jmc@ptsfa.PacBell.COM (Jerry Carlin)
Distribution: na
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
Lines: 33

In article <900@td2cad.intel.com> brister@td3cad.UUCP (James Brister) writes:
>What I mean is: do experienced programmers usually write flow charts,
>or pseudo code. Do they write the whole program out by hand first or
>build it up in their favorite editor?
>
>What's a good way to organize the writing process? I have all these
>great ideas running around in my head that I find difficult to get
>out without making mistakes in the task itself.

Good question! In spite of all the theory and people that say we can
reduce programming to a "factory", it is still a "craft" (in the
highest sense). There are a lot of aids, and experienced people will
use them when appropriate. It is almost never (as in <1%) a good idea
to code at the keyboard without knowing what you are doing.

On the other hand, for relatively simple programs, I'll code the comments
first, then the mainline and then fill in the functions without ever
using pseudo code/diagramming techniques etc. For complex systems,
I'll use everything under the sun.

The best way to organize the process comes with experience: some
problems need "data structuring", some "data flow", some "object-oriented"
etc. Beware of snake-oil. There is no magic elixer.

By the way, you will always make mistakes. Murphy's law lives.

I hope this helped you. (In case you're wondering, I've been
programming for about 12 years).


-- 
Jerry Carlin (415) 823-2441 {bellcore,sun,ames,pyramid}!pacbell!jmc
To dream the impossible dream. To fight the unbeatable foe.