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  3. With comments like this, no wonder commenting gets a bad reputation

With comments like this, no wonder commenting gets a bad reputation

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  • Mike HankeyM Mike Hankey

    Does seem excessively redundant! :) I think even Gomer would know not to do this.

    Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead? Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.

    P Offline
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    PIEBALDconsult
    wrote on last edited by
    #5

    Mike Hankey wrote:

    even Gomer would know not to do this.

    As I recall, he's an automotive mechanic, you don't think his wrenches are marked with their sizes? Seems redundant to me. :rolleyes:

    Mike HankeyM 1 Reply Last reply
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    • B B Clay Shannon

      I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

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      Lost User
      wrote on last edited by
      #6

      That's worth more points if it turns out that checkConnection actually does not check connection.

      B 1 Reply Last reply
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      • P PIEBALDconsult

        Mike Hankey wrote:

        even Gomer would know not to do this.

        As I recall, he's an automotive mechanic, you don't think his wrenches are marked with their sizes? Seems redundant to me. :rolleyes:

        Mike HankeyM Offline
        Mike HankeyM Offline
        Mike Hankey
        wrote on last edited by
        #7

        A good mechanic can tell the size of a wrench by looking at it so yeah that would be redundant to mark them.

        Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead? Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.

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        • L Lost User

          That's worth more points if it turns out that checkConnection actually does not check connection.

          B Offline
          B Offline
          B Clay Shannon
          wrote on last edited by
          #8

          It tries to open a connection; the catch block displays an err msg if it fails.

          I L 2 Replies Last reply
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          • B B Clay Shannon

            It tries to open a connection; the catch block displays an err msg if it fails.

            I Offline
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            Ian Shlasko
            wrote on last edited by
            #9

            Well then it's named wrong... It should have been:

            // Check Connection
            tryToOpenConnectionAndDisplayAnErrorMessageIfItFailsThankYouAndGoodnight();

            Proud to have finally moved to the A-Ark. Which one are you in?
            Author of the Guardians Saga (Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels)

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • B B Clay Shannon

              I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

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              PIEBALDconsult
              wrote on last edited by
              #10

              // Check connection checkConnection(); // Cash connection checkConnection(); // Credit Card connection checkConnection(); // Debit Card connection checkConnection(); :-D

              Richard DeemingR 1 Reply Last reply
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              • B B Clay Shannon

                It tries to open a connection; the catch block displays an err msg if it fails.

                L Offline
                L Offline
                Lost User
                wrote on last edited by
                #11

                B. Clay Shannon wrote:

                It tries to open a connection

                That was my first hunch. :((

                Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

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                • P PIEBALDconsult

                  // Check connection checkConnection(); // Cash connection checkConnection(); // Credit Card connection checkConnection(); // Debit Card connection checkConnection(); :-D

                  Richard DeemingR Offline
                  Richard DeemingR Offline
                  Richard Deeming
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #12

                  PIEBALDconsult wrote:

                  // Cheque connection chequeConnection();

                  FTFY. ;P


                  "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

                  "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined" - Homer

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                  • Richard DeemingR Richard Deeming

                    PIEBALDconsult wrote:

                    // Cheque connection chequeConnection();

                    FTFY. ;P


                    "These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined." - Homer

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                    PIEBALDconsult
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #13

                    czechConnection frenchConnection

                    1 Reply Last reply
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                    • B B Clay Shannon

                      I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

                      J Offline
                      J Offline
                      Jeremy Falcon
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #14

                      It gets even better. I've even seen something akin to this in Basic...

                      ' assign 5 to x
                      Let x = 5

                      Jeremy Falcon

                      L Sander RosselS 2 Replies Last reply
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                      • B B Clay Shannon

                        I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

                        N Offline
                        N Offline
                        Nemanja Trifunovic
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #15

                        Ughhh. It should really be: // Check connection check_connection();

                        utf8-cpp

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                        • B B Clay Shannon

                          I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

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                          Lost User
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #16

                          Just because he's a pro at naming a function doesn't mean the comment is bad.

                          1 Reply Last reply
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                          • J Jeremy Falcon

                            It gets even better. I've even seen something akin to this in Basic...

                            ' assign 5 to x
                            Let x = 5

                            Jeremy Falcon

                            L Offline
                            L Offline
                            Lost User
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #17

                            Or:

                            // assign 0.1 to x
                            double x = 0.1;

                            Which is actually a lie.

                            1 Reply Last reply
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                            • B B Clay Shannon

                              I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

                              S Offline
                              S Offline
                              Slacker007
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #18

                              I don't always comment my code, but when I do... //TODO: insert comment here.

                              1 Reply Last reply
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                              • B B Clay Shannon

                                I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

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                                PIEBALDconsult
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #19

                                // Whereas we wish for this application to interact with a database // and whereas such interaction will require a connection to the server and instance of said database // and whereas a connection of this type relies on many fluctuating unknowns within the server and network infrastructure // and further, given the business-critical nature of this application and its associated interaction with the database // it has therefore been determined that checking whether or not such a connection can be successfully negotiated as early as possible // in the event that such a connection cannot be negotiated, then remediatory actions may be activated in a more timely manner than otherwise feasible checkConnection();

                                1 Reply Last reply
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                                • B B Clay Shannon

                                  I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

                                  Sander RosselS Offline
                                  Sander RosselS Offline
                                  Sander Rossel
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #20

                                  Found stuff like that too.

                                  ' Save the customer.
                                  SaveCustomer()

                                  Even worse:

                                  ' Save the customer.
                                  SaveProduct()

                                  The code was copy/pasted and then changed, but of course the comments were overlooked. But that's not all:

                                  ' A helper variable
                                  Dim helper As String
                                  helper = "Something"
                                  ' Lots of code here...
                                  If someCondition Then
                                  MessageBox.Show(helper)
                                  End If

                                  Yes, in that last part the 'helper variable' is actually a constant string that may or may not be used further in the function... Good thing it was commented :doh: And you wonder why VB has a bad name? This has nothing to do with VB, but with coders that can't code...

                                  It's an OO world.

                                  public class SanderRossel : Lazy<Person>
                                  {
                                  public void DoWork()
                                  {
                                  throw new NotSupportedException();
                                  }
                                  }

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                                  • J Jeremy Falcon

                                    It gets even better. I've even seen something akin to this in Basic...

                                    ' assign 5 to x
                                    Let x = 5

                                    Jeremy Falcon

                                    Sander RosselS Offline
                                    Sander RosselS Offline
                                    Sander Rossel
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #21

                                    I've seen something like that, except the writer of the comment started about memory and how it works internally... Except the comment clearly showed the writer had no clue what actually happened :laugh: Can't remember where I've seen it or what the comment said though :doh:

                                    It's an OO world.

                                    public class SanderRossel : Lazy<Person>
                                    {
                                    public void DoWork()
                                    {
                                    throw new NotSupportedException();
                                    }
                                    }

                                    1 Reply Last reply
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                                    • Sander RosselS Sander Rossel

                                      Found stuff like that too.

                                      ' Save the customer.
                                      SaveCustomer()

                                      Even worse:

                                      ' Save the customer.
                                      SaveProduct()

                                      The code was copy/pasted and then changed, but of course the comments were overlooked. But that's not all:

                                      ' A helper variable
                                      Dim helper As String
                                      helper = "Something"
                                      ' Lots of code here...
                                      If someCondition Then
                                      MessageBox.Show(helper)
                                      End If

                                      Yes, in that last part the 'helper variable' is actually a constant string that may or may not be used further in the function... Good thing it was commented :doh: And you wonder why VB has a bad name? This has nothing to do with VB, but with coders that can't code...

                                      It's an OO world.

                                      public class SanderRossel : Lazy<Person>
                                      {
                                      public void DoWork()
                                      {
                                      throw new NotSupportedException();
                                      }
                                      }

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                                      P Offline
                                      PIEBALDconsult
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #22

                                      Sander Rossel wrote:

                                      coders that can't code...

                                      I disagree... the whole purpose of code is to not be readable. :-D

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                                      • B B Clay Shannon

                                        I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

                                        L Offline
                                        L Offline
                                        Lost User
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #23

                                        Most comments (or error messages) are written by the same master of the obvious.

                                        The language is JavaScript. that of Mordor, which I will not utter here
                                        I hold an A-7 computer expert classification, Commodore. I'm well acquainted with Dr. Daystrom's theories and discoveries. The basic design of all our ship's computers are JavaScript.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
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                                        • B B Clay Shannon

                                          I ran across this in some legacy code, and I hereby submit it to "the most redundant/superfluous code comment contest": // Check connection checkConnection(); Why do I hear, in my mind's ear, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle drawling "Surprise, surprise!" when I see this comment?

                                          J Offline
                                          J Offline
                                          Joe Woodbury
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #24

                                          My favorite was akin to this: // Actually means hasn't been modified except in the function in file xxx.c bool isModified = false; The comment was actually accurate and isModified really did switch meaning multiple times throughout the code.

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