Code, women do it better
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new coding standards at the company. They require programmers to include a detailed set of comments before each block of code explaining what the piece of code does and why; developers also must supply a detailed history of any changes they have made to the code.
I am going to pretty much validate what this article says[^] but that is one horrible coding standard, in my humble opinion. The "change history" bit is particularly nasty. We have source control and commit comments for that.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
McGrattan boasts that 70% to 80% of the time, she can look at a chunk of computer code and tell if it was written by a man or a woman.
Considering that maybe more than 80% of programmers are men, anybody can boast that with 70% to 80% accuracy.
My .NET Business Application Framework My Home Page My Younger Son & His "PET"
modified on Sunday, June 8, 2008 6:05 AM
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[Quote]In an effort to make Ingres’s computer code more user-friendly and gender-neutral, McGrattan helped institute new coding standards at the company. They require programmers to include a detailed set of comments before each block of code explaining what the piece of code does and why; developers also must supply a detailed history of any changes they have made to the code. The rules apply to both Ingres employees and members of the open-source community who contribute code to Ingres’s products.[/Quote] Yup - I've used Ingres' database - it's one of the nastiest pieces of database technology that it's ever been my misfortune to touch. While other database manufacturers actually went about making their databases more powerful and useful, Ingres is better commented. :rolleyes:
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
one of the nastiest pieces of database technology
Indeed. Fortunately last fall we replaced the third-party product that uses it. Unfortunately the new third-party product uses Caché, which may be even worse. Developer of the new product: "But it's Faaasssst!" X|
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Pete O'Hanlon wrote:
one of the nastiest pieces of database technology
Indeed. Fortunately last fall we replaced the third-party product that uses it. Unfortunately the new third-party product uses Caché, which may be even worse. Developer of the new product: "But it's Faaasssst!" X|
PIEBALDconsult wrote:
Developer of the new product: "But it's Faaasssst!"
Yup - it crashes faster than ever.
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
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McGrattan boasts that 70% to 80% of the time, she can look at a chunk of computer code and tell if it was written by a man or a woman.
Considering that maybe more than 80% of programmers are men, anybody can boast that with 70% to 80% accuracy.
My .NET Business Application Framework My Home Page My Younger Son & His "PET"
modified on Sunday, June 8, 2008 6:05 AM
Excellent point. I also fear that she would like at my code declare that it was written by a woman. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
BDF A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool. -- Moliere
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Girls are also the solution to poverty, AIDS, hunger, war and such.[^]
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
I guess I should go get a few.
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new coding standards at the company. They require programmers to include a detailed set of comments before each block of code explaining what the piece of code does and why; developers also must supply a detailed history of any changes they have made to the code.
I am going to pretty much validate what this article says[^] but that is one horrible coding standard, in my humble opinion. The "change history" bit is particularly nasty. We have source control and commit comments for that.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
I'm with you on "change history" in source control. Each code file should have just code and comments that help understand the current code, nothing else. If you really want that in the file, even VSS will automatically put those comments into each file for you. If the revision history is that important, then there is that code historian product for that. It gives you a color coded view of the file where each color represents the latest revision for that line. That plus viewing the file color coded for number of revisions per line and the like makes it really useful for learning a codebase.
I can imagine the sinking feeling one would have after ordering my book, only to find a laughably ridiculous theory with demented logic once the book arrives - Mark McCutcheon
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Excellent point. I also fear that she would like at my code declare that it was written by a woman. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
BDF A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool. -- Moliere
could you lose man points...
----------------------------------------------------------- "When I first saw it, I just thought that you really, really enjoyed programming in java." - Leslie Sanford
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What is that “comments” stuff? I’m hearing some mates mention this time to time through the last decade, so I’m become curious. Some new technology or just a abbreviation of COM driving ME NuTS? :confused:
The narrow specialist in the broad sense of the word is a complete idiot in the narrow sense of the word.
Deyan Georgiev wrote:
What is that “comments” stuff?
They always told me the source code was the documentation. ;) "If the code was hard to write, it should be hard to understand." ;)
WE ARE DYSLEXIC OF BORG. Refutance is systile. Your a$$ will be laminated. There are 10 kinds of people in the world: People who know binary and people who don't.
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Having it in source control is all fine and dandy, but when you've retrieved code from source control and you're scanning through it in the IDE, it's really nice to have those coding standards in place. That's the way I like to comment my code - especially when you're in a team of programmers.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001Comments? Bah! -1000 man points! ;) (Just kidding. Don't set off a nuke or anything.)
WE ARE DYSLEXIC OF BORG. Refutance is systile. Your a$$ will be laminated. There are 10 kinds of people in the world: People who know binary and people who don't.
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Paul Watson wrote:
Women solve a lot more problems than the men but they get a lot less support.
Yeah, well they'd be advised not knocking on my door for it either. There's one women who gets my support and that's my duty done as far as I'm concerned :)
martin_hughes wrote:
There's one women who gets my support and that's my duty done as far as I'm concerned
Like setting up 300 chairs by yourself? ;)
WE ARE DYSLEXIC OF BORG. Refutance is systile. Your a$$ will be laminated. There are 10 kinds of people in the world: People who know binary and people who don't.
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could you lose man points...
----------------------------------------------------------- "When I first saw it, I just thought that you really, really enjoyed programming in java." - Leslie Sanford
I wanted to reply to that, but I couldn't decide between 1) pleading to not lose man points, and 2) :grabs crotch: <New York Accent> I got your man points right here! </New York Accent> so I decided not to.
BDF A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool. -- Moliere
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martin_hughes wrote:
There's one women who gets my support and that's my duty done as far as I'm concerned
Like setting up 300 chairs by yourself? ;)
WE ARE DYSLEXIC OF BORG. Refutance is systile. Your a$$ will be laminated. There are 10 kinds of people in the world: People who know binary and people who don't.
Exactly that :)
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new coding standards at the company. They require programmers to include a detailed set of comments before each block of code explaining what the piece of code does and why; developers also must supply a detailed history of any changes they have made to the code.
I am going to pretty much validate what this article says[^] but that is one horrible coding standard, in my humble opinion. The "change history" bit is particularly nasty. We have source control and commit comments for that.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
Yuck X|. I explain what the code does if it's not immediately obvious from reading the code itself. It's pretty damned unusual for me to write code isn't self-explanatory. I really hate reading pointless comments or those that regurgitate what the code itself is doing. Even simple stuff like this is annoying:
HWND handle; // window handle
I'll include change history, but it's only because our automated tool that collates all the history entries requires it. It's a little annoying, but since I wrote the tool, I guess I shouldn't complain. I've quoted this before, and I'll do it again: "If you can say it in code, do so. Otherwise, say it in a comment."
Software Zen:
delete this;
Fold With Us![^] -
new coding standards at the company. They require programmers to include a detailed set of comments before each block of code explaining what the piece of code does and why; developers also must supply a detailed history of any changes they have made to the code.
I am going to pretty much validate what this article says[^] but that is one horrible coding standard, in my humble opinion. The "change history" bit is particularly nasty. We have source control and commit comments for that.
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
If it was hard to write, it should be hard to understand. :)
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes www.PracticalUSA.com
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If it was hard to write, it should be hard to understand. :)
Christopher Duncan Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes www.PracticalUSA.com
That post was very east to understand. Put more effort in next time eh ;) (typing this on an iPhone... Very hard... Hope it is incomprehensible to read...)
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
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[Quote]In an effort to make Ingres’s computer code more user-friendly and gender-neutral, McGrattan helped institute new coding standards at the company. They require programmers to include a detailed set of comments before each block of code explaining what the piece of code does and why; developers also must supply a detailed history of any changes they have made to the code. The rules apply to both Ingres employees and members of the open-source community who contribute code to Ingres’s products.[/Quote] Yup - I've used Ingres' database - it's one of the nastiest pieces of database technology that it's ever been my misfortune to touch. While other database manufacturers actually went about making their databases more powerful and useful, Ingres is better commented. :rolleyes:
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
Cool, I have never in my 14 year career have ever talked or seen someone use Ingres professionally.
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Let's not diss them too much though. They're just so much nicer to errm, cuddle.... (I'll let you replace the word with the physical action of your choice). Let's face it, for all their naive statements about comments and the like, they are a better choice than the alternative.
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
There are no books like a dame, And nothin' looks like a dame. There are no drinks like a dame, And nothin' thinks like a dame, Nothin' acts like a dame, Or attracts like a dame. There ain't a thing that's wrong with any man here That can't be cured by puttin' him near A girly, womanly, female, feminine dame!
Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface
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Let's not diss them too much though. They're just so much nicer to errm, cuddle.... (I'll let you replace the word with the physical action of your choice). Let's face it, for all their naive statements about comments and the like, they are a better choice than the alternative.
Deja View - the feeling that you've seen this post before.
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Having it in source control is all fine and dandy, but when you've retrieved code from source control and you're scanning through it in the IDE, it's really nice to have those coding standards in place. That's the way I like to comment my code - especially when you're in a team of programmers.
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001Does anyone actually read/make the check in comments. I have yet to see a single comment (I may have ignored it). Got to comment the code, even if for a single dev, many times I have you looked at old code and wondered what the hell it was supposed to do. And it gets worse when there is a team of dev creating/supporting the code.
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
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You do change history in comments?
regards, Paul Watson Ireland & South Africa
Fernando A. Gomez F. wrote:
At least he achieved immortality for a few years.
Damn right I do - I want the history and the reasoning right there with the code!
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH
