in reply to Random thoughts on programming

  1. Start writing the test harness before you start writing the code you want to test... it can often clarify just what it is you need to do!
  2. From time to time stop and think. It's not a luxury!
  3. Don't be afraid to experiment with different ways to do things, not only might you learn something new; but you might also understand occasionally why your original code was better
  4. Take time to clean your code up regularly... in particular make an effort to be consistent even if it means going back and reviewing existing code. Be critical.
  5. Sometimes you need to work at being lazy. Learn how to use your toolset effectively. Add your own tools if you need them.

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Re: Re: Random thoughts on programming
by davorg (Chancellor) on Feb 19, 2001 at 15:27 UTC

    Sounds like someone else has been reading Extreme Programming books. Numbers 1 and 4 on your list are very XP techniques :)

    --
    <http://www.dave.org.uk>

    "Perl makes the fun jobs fun
    and the boring jobs bearable" - me

[reply]
      The what books? Sorry, for being trite, but the only XP techniques that these are based on are XPerience... very painfully earned for the most part.

      However, it's nice to know that someone else is pushing the same ideas out there :)

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