Subj : Re: extreme programming (thoughts)
To   : comp.programming
From : Scott Moore
Date : Thu Jul 21 2005 04:42 pm

matt@mailinator.com wrote:
> (note: i am not an XP expert, nor have i received formal training in
> it. rather, im a good developer recently assigned to an xp project. but
> actually i think thats ok)
> 

I suspect you (or your employer) have distorted the concepts of extreme
programming quite a bit. The foundation of XP is that programming should
be performed by designing a test first, then designing a program that
passes that, and doing that cycle fairly frequently, ie., long before
the program serves a functional purpose.

As another poster intoned, it basically matches the way real programmers
get work done, with the (large) exception that tests are usually done
after programming the main code, and tests are usually ad-hoc (ie., use
of the product).

While I recognize what they are trying to say in XP, I think it is always
wise to beware of "alternative improvements". For example, if someone
complains their tooth hurts for no apparent reason, and refuses to go
to the dentist, then "discovers" acupuncture as a cure, this is certainly
suspect. If that same person went from dentist to dentist without their
being able to help, then thats another matter entirely.

The point being, if programmers turn out crappy, buggy, poorly documented
code that is not maintainable, then one would be suspect of their discovery
of a technique that puts forth rapid coding with little documentation
as the answer, without having tried the (not nearly as much fun)
technique of improving documentation, modularity and testing.

.