RE: Service Programs VS normal Programs (Jon Paris)

["Reeve" <news@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The primary issue with "playing" is that the playthings often become
one-off, key, fragile, temperamental components (not unlike an ill-mannered
pet or relative) in a production system.

"Playing" is fine, as long as it's kept outside of the production sandbox.
"Evaluating" has a professorial ring to it and conveys a good message to
management; it also means.  Just because you can write a VARPG program
doesn't mean you should stick it in the middle of your green-screen
application.  

Sometimes evaluations show a new technique isn't that good, and that's when
the code should be trashed.

-rf 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-
> bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jon Paris
> Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 9:03 PM
> To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: Service Programs VS normal Programs (Jon Paris)
> 
>  >> the truth of the matter is that, if it works, it may well not need to
> be
> touched.  Ever.
> 
> I _very_ clearly stated that I was in agreement with that position Joe.
> If
> _nothing_ ever changes then a rewrite is probably pointless.  But I
> cannot
> agree with James - I have met hundreds of programmers who used the
> "it ain't
> broke" argument as an excuse for not doing/learning anything new.  I
> have
> met very few who make changes just for the fun of it or to use the
> latest
> sexiest features.
> 
> I do know that a very large percentage of 400 shops that I meet who
> stick to
> the "ain't broke" philosophy find themselves under constant threat from
> Windows/Uni*x "solutions".  Very few of "explorers" seem to be in that
> position.
> 
> Personally I think that there is a lot of benefit to "playing" (and I know
> you do this Joe).  As adults we seem to forget that all of the really
> important things in our lives we learnt while playing as children.  We
> learnt to walk by falling over - think about it - walking is just a series
> of controlled falls!  Why does "play" become an evil because we are
> adults?
> If we use the latest and greatest - even if there is no immediate
> quantifiable ROI - don't we get an ROI later when faced with new
> programming
> challenges?
> 
> Jon Paris
> Partner400
> www.Partner400.com
> 
> 
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