This week's survey: What is your favourite phase of software development?
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It has been noted that there is no radio button for "Documentation" on the list for the favourite phase of software development survey. (This weeks.) Most hate it anyway and some would argue that it isn't development period. Personally I like it. It is not as enjoyable as the challenging bits, but; 1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.) 2. It is still fresh in your head.(Therefore Easy to do without annoying errors and ennoying look ups.) 3. It is easy, boring, relaxing after all the hard yakka and not demanding in anyway at all. 4. It helps you later when changes have to be made. (Speeds up review and familarisation.) 5. Looks pretty in the app and hopefully limits support queries. 6. Lets you say check the help and the documentation, it is all explained there. Sometimes I am as pleased with the documentation as I am with the code. It is part of the whole process to me. When other people do the documntation, it is often lacking or just incorrect. I know that I am going to be flamed for this post, but I am also coming from a lone wolf perspective. I like the manuals to be integrated into the application. I am not as good at within code comments though and always regret this. Documentation is great because it is the end, the finalisation of an extensive effort. I now often augment the documentation with short videos. Documentation isn't my favourite part of development, but it comes close to it. My most hated part of development is repartition. Comments please....
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
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It has been noted that there is no radio button for "Documentation" on the list for the favourite phase of software development survey. (This weeks.) Most hate it anyway and some would argue that it isn't development period. Personally I like it. It is not as enjoyable as the challenging bits, but; 1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.) 2. It is still fresh in your head.(Therefore Easy to do without annoying errors and ennoying look ups.) 3. It is easy, boring, relaxing after all the hard yakka and not demanding in anyway at all. 4. It helps you later when changes have to be made. (Speeds up review and familarisation.) 5. Looks pretty in the app and hopefully limits support queries. 6. Lets you say check the help and the documentation, it is all explained there. Sometimes I am as pleased with the documentation as I am with the code. It is part of the whole process to me. When other people do the documntation, it is often lacking or just incorrect. I know that I am going to be flamed for this post, but I am also coming from a lone wolf perspective. I like the manuals to be integrated into the application. I am not as good at within code comments though and always regret this. Documentation is great because it is the end, the finalisation of an extensive effort. I now often augment the documentation with short videos. Documentation isn't my favourite part of development, but it comes close to it. My most hated part of development is repartition. Comments please....
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
If only there was a place to discuss the survey...
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
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If only there was a place to discuss the survey...
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
Nagy Vilmos wrote:
If only there was a place to discuss the survey...
I don't think I could get over to your place in time.
Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So I had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash One Fine Saturday. 24/04/2004
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If only there was a place to discuss the survey...
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
Some sort of common area Like a message board underneath the survey itself. We can but dream to, one day, live in such a utopia And then tell Chris he's missed an option/point out why the whole thing is invalid anyway. :)
“Education is not the piling on of learning, information, data, facts, skills, or abilities - that's training or instruction - but is rather making visible what is hidden as a seed”
“One of the greatest problems of our time is that many are schooled but few are educated”Sir Thomas More (1478 – 1535)
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If only there was a place to discuss the survey...
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
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If only there was a place to discuss the survey...
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
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It has been noted that there is no radio button for "Documentation" on the list for the favourite phase of software development survey. (This weeks.) Most hate it anyway and some would argue that it isn't development period. Personally I like it. It is not as enjoyable as the challenging bits, but; 1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.) 2. It is still fresh in your head.(Therefore Easy to do without annoying errors and ennoying look ups.) 3. It is easy, boring, relaxing after all the hard yakka and not demanding in anyway at all. 4. It helps you later when changes have to be made. (Speeds up review and familarisation.) 5. Looks pretty in the app and hopefully limits support queries. 6. Lets you say check the help and the documentation, it is all explained there. Sometimes I am as pleased with the documentation as I am with the code. It is part of the whole process to me. When other people do the documntation, it is often lacking or just incorrect. I know that I am going to be flamed for this post, but I am also coming from a lone wolf perspective. I like the manuals to be integrated into the application. I am not as good at within code comments though and always regret this. Documentation is great because it is the end, the finalisation of an extensive effort. I now often augment the documentation with short videos. Documentation isn't my favourite part of development, but it comes close to it. My most hated part of development is repartition. Comments please....
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
I don't hate documentation, but there are different types of documentation throughout a project from start to finish. Personally, if I read your post, I wonder how detailed your documentation is. If I create user manuals I spend most of my time creating the situation for the correct screenshot only to hear the client doesn't like the value of the field you filled in for reason X or Y making you do it all over again. Creating test documents or project reports isn't always fun and games either. The best one is perhaps the technical documentation during design time, letting you play with small prototypes and proof of concepts which you then have to document :-). As you say, it's a nice change for a while, but I do feel you're missing the total view of "documentation". Just my two cents.
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It has been noted that there is no radio button for "Documentation" on the list for the favourite phase of software development survey. (This weeks.) Most hate it anyway and some would argue that it isn't development period. Personally I like it. It is not as enjoyable as the challenging bits, but; 1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.) 2. It is still fresh in your head.(Therefore Easy to do without annoying errors and ennoying look ups.) 3. It is easy, boring, relaxing after all the hard yakka and not demanding in anyway at all. 4. It helps you later when changes have to be made. (Speeds up review and familarisation.) 5. Looks pretty in the app and hopefully limits support queries. 6. Lets you say check the help and the documentation, it is all explained there. Sometimes I am as pleased with the documentation as I am with the code. It is part of the whole process to me. When other people do the documntation, it is often lacking or just incorrect. I know that I am going to be flamed for this post, but I am also coming from a lone wolf perspective. I like the manuals to be integrated into the application. I am not as good at within code comments though and always regret this. Documentation is great because it is the end, the finalisation of an extensive effort. I now often augment the documentation with short videos. Documentation isn't my favourite part of development, but it comes close to it. My most hated part of development is repartition. Comments please....
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
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It has been noted that there is no radio button for "Documentation" on the list for the favourite phase of software development survey. (This weeks.) Most hate it anyway and some would argue that it isn't development period. Personally I like it. It is not as enjoyable as the challenging bits, but; 1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.) 2. It is still fresh in your head.(Therefore Easy to do without annoying errors and ennoying look ups.) 3. It is easy, boring, relaxing after all the hard yakka and not demanding in anyway at all. 4. It helps you later when changes have to be made. (Speeds up review and familarisation.) 5. Looks pretty in the app and hopefully limits support queries. 6. Lets you say check the help and the documentation, it is all explained there. Sometimes I am as pleased with the documentation as I am with the code. It is part of the whole process to me. When other people do the documntation, it is often lacking or just incorrect. I know that I am going to be flamed for this post, but I am also coming from a lone wolf perspective. I like the manuals to be integrated into the application. I am not as good at within code comments though and always regret this. Documentation is great because it is the end, the finalisation of an extensive effort. I now often augment the documentation with short videos. Documentation isn't my favourite part of development, but it comes close to it. My most hated part of development is repartition. Comments please....
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
grralph1 wrote:
1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.)
Absolute codswallop, balderdash and piffle. Documentation should be written before, during and after the software. It's as much part of the software development as the actual source code, and should not be relegated to the post build phase of the project.
I was brought up to respect my elders. I don't respect many people nowadays.
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier -
It has been noted that there is no radio button for "Documentation" on the list for the favourite phase of software development survey. (This weeks.) Most hate it anyway and some would argue that it isn't development period. Personally I like it. It is not as enjoyable as the challenging bits, but; 1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.) 2. It is still fresh in your head.(Therefore Easy to do without annoying errors and ennoying look ups.) 3. It is easy, boring, relaxing after all the hard yakka and not demanding in anyway at all. 4. It helps you later when changes have to be made. (Speeds up review and familarisation.) 5. Looks pretty in the app and hopefully limits support queries. 6. Lets you say check the help and the documentation, it is all explained there. Sometimes I am as pleased with the documentation as I am with the code. It is part of the whole process to me. When other people do the documntation, it is often lacking or just incorrect. I know that I am going to be flamed for this post, but I am also coming from a lone wolf perspective. I like the manuals to be integrated into the application. I am not as good at within code comments though and always regret this. Documentation is great because it is the end, the finalisation of an extensive effort. I now often augment the documentation with short videos. Documentation isn't my favourite part of development, but it comes close to it. My most hated part of development is repartition. Comments please....
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
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grralph1 wrote:
1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.)
Absolute codswallop, balderdash and piffle. Documentation should be written before, during and after the software. It's as much part of the software development as the actual source code, and should not be relegated to the post build phase of the project.
I was brought up to respect my elders. I don't respect many people nowadays.
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easierOh yeh! Next you're going to be saying we should know what the software is going to do before we write it.
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
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If only there was a place to discuss the survey...
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
-
It has been noted that there is no radio button for "Documentation" on the list for the favourite phase of software development survey. (This weeks.) Most hate it anyway and some would argue that it isn't development period. Personally I like it. It is not as enjoyable as the challenging bits, but; 1. Documentation means that you have finished the product. (Hopefully on time and within buget.) 2. It is still fresh in your head.(Therefore Easy to do without annoying errors and ennoying look ups.) 3. It is easy, boring, relaxing after all the hard yakka and not demanding in anyway at all. 4. It helps you later when changes have to be made. (Speeds up review and familarisation.) 5. Looks pretty in the app and hopefully limits support queries. 6. Lets you say check the help and the documentation, it is all explained there. Sometimes I am as pleased with the documentation as I am with the code. It is part of the whole process to me. When other people do the documntation, it is often lacking or just incorrect. I know that I am going to be flamed for this post, but I am also coming from a lone wolf perspective. I like the manuals to be integrated into the application. I am not as good at within code comments though and always regret this. Documentation is great because it is the end, the finalisation of an extensive effort. I now often augment the documentation with short videos. Documentation isn't my favourite part of development, but it comes close to it. My most hated part of development is repartition. Comments please....
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
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Oh yeh! Next you're going to be saying we should know what the software is going to do before we write it.
Reality is an illusion caused by a lack of alcohol
Now that's just silly talk.
I was brought up to respect my elders. I don't respect many people nowadays.
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier -
I don't hate documentation, but there are different types of documentation throughout a project from start to finish. Personally, if I read your post, I wonder how detailed your documentation is. If I create user manuals I spend most of my time creating the situation for the correct screenshot only to hear the client doesn't like the value of the field you filled in for reason X or Y making you do it all over again. Creating test documents or project reports isn't always fun and games either. The best one is perhaps the technical documentation during design time, letting you play with small prototypes and proof of concepts which you then have to document :-). As you say, it's a nice change for a while, but I do feel you're missing the total view of "documentation". Just my two cents.
Liked your two cents V. You are correct in that I am missing the total view of documentation. Being a lone wolf and not working in a big team, means that I miss most of the tedious stuff. For me the documentation is the end game. On a lot of projects my documentation (Manuals) are then re-written and published by the Government Departments that commission the work. Sometimes these are better than mine and I ask them to send me the PDFs and then I can incorporate them into the app. They are good because they are proffessional technical writers who are using an accurate source. Yeah I hate some parts of documentation like all of us. Manuals and Help I do like.
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
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Liked your two cents V. You are correct in that I am missing the total view of documentation. Being a lone wolf and not working in a big team, means that I miss most of the tedious stuff. For me the documentation is the end game. On a lot of projects my documentation (Manuals) are then re-written and published by the Government Departments that commission the work. Sometimes these are better than mine and I ask them to send me the PDFs and then I can incorporate them into the app. They are good because they are proffessional technical writers who are using an accurate source. Yeah I hate some parts of documentation like all of us. Manuals and Help I do like.
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
no worries, more often than not docs are done at the end (or not at all), no matter what people claim here. :-)
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I don't know Tony 'The Frosties" Tiger at all. My Lastname (Surname) is Ralph. The prefix for my username is the initials of my first two (Christian) names. Pray tell me the origin of your username PB 369,782
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
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grralph1 wrote:
When other people do the documntation anything, it is often lacking or just incorrect.
Seriously, I often feel like I should just do everything myself.
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I don't know Tony 'The Frosties" Tiger at all. My Lastname (Surname) is Ralph. The prefix for my username is the initials of my first two (Christian) names. Pray tell me the origin of your username PB 369,782
"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa 1980
The first part is Pompey Boy - he changes his username fairly regularly but there's always a common thread (either PB or some variation of Boy in there).
I was brought up to respect my elders. I don't respect many people nowadays.
CodeStash - Online Snippet Management | My blog | MoXAML PowerToys | Mole 2010 - debugging made easier
