Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!munnari!otc!metro!basser!natmlab!ditsyda!vincent
From: vincent@ditsyda.oz (David A. Vincent)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: hackers
Message-ID: <1854@ditsyda.oz>
Date: 22 Feb 89 03:08:38 GMT
References: <899@wpi.wpi.edu>
Organization: CSIRO DIT Sydney, Australia
Lines: 57

in article <899@wpi.wpi.edu>, lfoard@wpi.wpi.edu (Lawrence C Foard) says:
 
> I would like to present the opposite side of the argument about hackers.
> I generally program in the hacker style. i.e.

It strikes me that what Lawrence presents isn't a terribly good 
definition of the hacker style.  I'm sure many non-hackers program in 
this 'hacker style' too.  At this stage I'd rather not get into an 
argument about the merits or otherwise of hackers & hacking.  But I 
would like to pin down just what it is.  Let's look at how Lawrence 
sums up the 'hacker style'.  

> No flowcharts or writting code out on paper.

I don't think you have to be a hacker for this to be part of your
style.  Flowcharts are a no-no for structured programming anyway;  
writing code out on paper is probably dying too as editors
improve.  I think it would be true to say instead that hackers simply
don't like to create abstract models (like flowcharts or pseudocode) 
of their programs.  

> Use comments only where needed.

This really says nothing, since it's a matter of opinion where
comments are 'needed'.  Naturally, hackers and non-hackers have
different opinions on this subject.  Comments only get put in when
someone thinks they need to be.  

> Allow programs to evolve.

This is pretty vague.  Hackers don't *only* allow programs to evolve;  
otherwise hackers would always be modifying existing programs and 
never starting new ones.  On the other hand non-hackers don't 
always *prevent* program evolution either.  After all, putting 
suitable comments into a program ensures that the program can be more 
easily modified later, which surely encourages program evolution.  

My favourite definition of hacker is 'compulsive programmer' (due, I
think, to Weizenbaum (sp?)).  But here is another, perhaps better,
definition of 'the hacker style':  

  * No flowcharts, writing code out on paper, specification, or indeed 
    any abstract modelling of code outside of the author's skull.  
    Just get on with it.

  * Don't let comments obscure the author's understanding of the 
    author's code.

  * As long as their authors are around, allow programs to evolve.  


David A. Vincent          vacation student, CSIRO Division of IT
ACSnet:     vincent@ditsyda.oz            Post:  GPO Box 1710-T
Phone (w):  +61 2 887 9383                       Hobart TAS 7001
FidoNet:    3:670/700                            Australia
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Irrationality is the square root of all evil.   - D R Hofstadter