RE: IBM pushing Java -- MIDRANGE-L

You could always archive the old source and its associated compiled object.
Real handy when you want to go back to sleep soon.  'Course if you put back
the old version, you may just reinstall the bug you were trying to fix when
you installed the newer code.  Can't win sometimes.

I hate to see large blocks of commented out code when I'm trying to
understand the logic of a program.  Sometimes I'll print a listing just so I
can cross out all the commented out code. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Colin Williams [mailto:Williamsc@technocrats.co.uk]
Sent: Monday, March 29, 1999 1:49 AM
To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: IBM pushing Java


Problem is, sometimes when error fixing, the error fix doesn't work and
introduces a new error, so code may need to be back out. If you dont
comment out your changes, they're lost! 

-----Original Message-----
From: nina jones [mailto:ddi@datadesigninc.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 1999 5:52 PM
To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject: Re: IBM pushing Java


> other hand, some languages lend themselves to this better than others.
> As an example, I remember a COBOL program written by a fellow student
> in university 20 years ago.  It was the most easy to read program I'd
> ever seen and there were no comments in it.  This student graduated
> at the top of his class and I doubt if he ever wrote another COBOL
> program since!

i think some people's programming style is easier to follow than others.
doesn't
really matter on the language.  well, maybe some!

years ago, we inherited a client that used a lady that did not do
anything
straight forward.  in frustration, once i asked how on earth she handled
fixing
problems.  they said she'd list her programs, go in the conference room,
spread
them out, and color code them.

i like code that you can look at and follow, that has relevent, up to
date
comments - with explainations before major sections of code as to what
it's for,
and routines sectioned off.  and one more pet peeve - old commented out
code.  if
you don't need it, get rid of it!

this week i was in california, and had to debug a program written by our
favorite
former employee (haha).  he'd done some modifications for them last
summer, and
it had never worked correctly!   i had to weed thru 10 pages of tricky
code,
without a single comment.  a 3 excedrin special.

nj


+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to
MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
david@midrange.com
+---
+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
david@midrange.com
+---
+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---