Subj : Re: Is well written code a rare species ?
To   : comp.programming
From : Giannis Papadopoulos
Date : Sat Aug 13 2005 12:28 pm

Phlip wrote:
>>>>Here is something to think about: http://thedailywtf.com/ .
> 
> 
> Alan Balmer wrote:
> 
> 
>>Looks to me as if the entire site is dedicated to bad programming
>>practices. Read top to bottom.
> 
> 
> switch (state)
> {
>   case Enumerations.PageState.Edit:
>     //Load Page Data
>     LoadPageData();
>     break;
>   case Enumerations.PageState.Update:
>     //Load Page Data
>     LoadPageData();
>     break;
>   case Enumerations.PageState.Add:
>     //Load Page Data
>     LoadPageData();
>     break;
>   default:
>     //Load Page Data
>     LoadPageData();
> }
> 
> Poetry! Especially the comments!
> 
> Now let's guess how it got that way. Charitably. The programmer started with 
> something different in each branch:
> 
>   case Enumerations.PageState.Edit:
>     //Load Page Data
>     LoadPageData("Edit");
>     break;
> 
> Then the programmer upgraded LoadPageData to not need the string, and took 
> it out:
> 
>   case Enumerations.PageState.Edit:
>     //Load Page Data
>     LoadPageData();
>     break;
> 
> Now without the culture and tests to support strict Refactoring, the 
> programmer is stuck with code half one design and half another. Because it 
> works the risk of even taking the switch statement out is greater than just 
> leaving it in. Maybe someone will need it, some day.
> 
> Like I said, this is the most charitable assessment. The least is someone 
> needs a new career...
> 

After all, a good compiler would kill the switch and just call 
LoadPageData().

However, it is not a good programming practice and someone ought to take 
the risk to remove it...

-- 
one's freedom stops where other's begin

Giannis Papadopoulos
http://dop.users.uth.gr/
University of Thessaly
Computer & Communications Engineering dept.

.