Subj : Re: puzzle
To   : comp.programming
From : Chris Sonnack
Date : Fri Jul 08 2005 10:47 am

karen writes:

> Real programmers [...] should also be careful of going beyond specs
> when those specs are set.  The boss doesn't want you to make a
> rigid solution that has to be rewritten when the specs stretch a bit.
> The boss also does not want you to spend all of your time finding a
> solution that covers everything, including things way outside the spec,...

In fact, one of my burdens in this new position is that the previous
programmer was a "brilliant amateur".  He produced convoluted solutions
that require significant user knowledge to run and specific environments
in which to run and aren't documented hardly at all and which are poorly
commented in code and which use variable names, like 'sp' and 'dr'.

They were also vastly over-engineered to meet imaginary needs and powered
for an imagined future.

In most cases, I've had to just throw'm out and start over--not because
of NIH, but because the code was unworkable and the specific environment
required has changed in some way.  But lacking documentation,.....

So now my prayers begin with, "Lord, save me from brilliant amateurs....."

-- 
|_ CJSonnack <Chris@Sonnack.com> _____________| How's my programming? |
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.