Pragmatic Programming

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of James Lampert
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 3:28 PM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: Re: Standards question: Whatis yourfeeling about
%found&%eofvs.%found(file) & %eof(file) ?

Wilt, Charles wrote:

Funny, I have a BS in CS also, and I _have_ heard of such a notion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_repeat_yourself

Hadn't heard of Andrew Hunt, David Thomas, or "The Pragmatic
Programmer," out of which the notion came, but just based on the
Wikipedia article on that opus, I can say that I strongly disagree with
the notion that, as a programmer, being an early adopter is "pragmatic."
Using old tools rarely gets one into compatibility problems, whereas
using "bleeding edge" ones almost guarantees them.

I strongly agree with them.

If you read the whole characteristic...

http://www.pragprog.com/the-pragmatic-programmer/extracts/preface

"Early adopter/fast adapter. You have an instinct for technologies and techniques, and you love trying
things out. When given something new, you can grasp it quickly and integrate it with the rest of your
knowledge. Your confidence is born of experience."

It doesn't say you have to adopt everything new.

Nor does it you have to choose incompatible bleeding edge new techniques over old compatible ones.

The way I read it, you have to be eager to learn the new stuff and use it where you can and where it
makes sense to.

If you've already downloaded and looked at the v6r1 ILE RPG Reference manual, even if a v6r1 upgrade
is nowhere on your horizon, then you probably fit the criteria.


Charles Wilt
--
Software Engineer
CINTAS Corporation - IT 92B
513.701.1307
wiltc@xxxxxxxxxx



This e-mail transmission contains information that is intended to be confidential and privileged. If you receive this e-mail and you are not a named addressee you are hereby notified that you are not authorized to read, print, retain, copy or disseminate this communication without the consent of the sender and that doing so is prohibited and may be unlawful. Please reply to the message immediately by informing the sender that the message was misdirected. After replying, please delete and otherwise erase it and any attachments from your computer system. Your assistance in correcting this error is appreciated.