RE: Re[2]: IBM pushing Java

["Stone, Brad V (PP)" <bvstone@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"its always easier to remove redundant comments than to decipher logic from
sourcecode."

This is a little contradicting.  Why remove redundant comments when you said
you'd rather see them?  On the other side of the coin, why were they put
there in the first place?  (See my example at the bottom from the original
message.)  

I understand it's preference, but sometimes it's taken too far.  When I see
comments like that I get the sense that the programmer (or should I say
coder) didn't really feel comfortable with what they were doing.

this would be the same thing as having signs next to stoplights that say:
"If the light is red, stop."
"If the light is green, go."
"If the light is yellow, kick it in the *ss..." 

There are some things that shouldn't need commenting.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: eric.delong@pmsi-services.com
> [mailto:eric.delong@pmsi-services.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 1999 12:55 PM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Re[2]: IBM pushing Java 
> 
> 
> 
>      Just my opinion, but I for one would MUCH rather see an 
>      over-commented program than an under-commented one. 
> Personally, I 
>      do not believe that "self-documenting" languages are ever truly 
>      self-documenting. Sure, some folks get a little carried 
> away, but 
>      its always easier to remove redundant comments than to decipher 
>      logic from sourcecode. 
>      
>      eric.delong@pmsi-services.com
> 
> 
> ______________________________ Reply Separator 
> _________________________________
> Subject: RE: IBM pushing Java 
> Author:  <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com > at INET_WACO
> Date:    3/22/99 12:50 PM
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jeff Crosby [mailto:jlcrosby@fwi.com]
> > Sent: Monday, March 22, 1999 12:01 PM
> > To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> > Subject: Re: IBM pushing Java
> > 
> > 
> > Colin Williams wrote:
> >  
> > > I here what your saying, but I've worked at sites before 
> > where they are
> > > so busy fighting fires, that updating of the documentation 
> > falls by the
> > > wayside!!
> > 
> > And the other side of that is the assumption that just because
> > documentation exists, that it will actually be read.
> > 
> 
> And one step further, that the documentation acutally means 
> something or is
> residual garbage comments from a previous version.
> 
> If java is so "good" that would mean that it's 
> "self-documenting".  I've
> played with JavaScript (which I'm guessing is similar to 
> Java) and I have to
> admit it is fun and "self-documenting".  I was able to 
> "guess" attributes
> (ie this.name, this.value, etc) after getting the basic jist of the
> language.
> 
> Even RPG is, to a point.  There are some commenting habits 
> that drive me up
> a wall and are deleted right away... ie
> 
> C*   If the customer number = 99999 then add one to the counter
> C                        if                (CustNo = 99999)
> C                 eval                 Counter = (Counter + 1)
> C                 endif
> 
> If you can't read the code (I would wager than at least 85% 
> of all code is
> "readable" to a point), then you probably shouldn't be programming.
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