Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (5100 mails)
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Re: [SLE] Starting to program
- From: Örn Hansen <orn.hansen@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 02:38:10 +0200
- Message-id: <200406230238.10971.orn.hansen@xxxxxxxxxx>
onsdag 23 juni 2004 01:02 skrev Brad Bourn:
>
> bottom line
> make sure to keep it simple
> say "hi" instead of "good afternoon, mam, how are you today"
>
> so, if YOU are going to keep it simple, then there is nothing wrong with
> C++.
>
> and as you grow into it, it will continue to be able to do whatever you
> want.
>
It comes down to, what you consider to be programming. I was looking at job
offers a week or so ago. The personel, wanted applicants to "solve"
programming puzzles, in C++ ... but the ones who created those "puzzles"
didn't know the difference between C and C++, nor the basics of object
orientation.
The KISS rule, is often a good rule ... and often it is not. It always
depends on what you want to accomplish. Years ago, there was this rule that
all programmers had to be mathematicians ... but they made worse programers,
than philosophers. Then, all programmers had to be painters (design good
pictures), but they couldn't solve a complex problem worth a dime... but they
looked good.
And then it's a question of what is considered simple. I was faced with a
puzzle once, the desired solution was in itself very simple ... but actually
quite lengthy in implementation, involved a lot of programming although the
programming was straight forward. The "correct" solution, was actually not
that simple ... quite complex, although not deeply mathematical. But
extremely simple in implementation. And that's quite often the case in
programming, the seemingly "simple" solutions bring about a very big and long
programs, that often are hard to track. While the seemingly "complex"
solutions, result in shorter programs, greater efficiency and stability.
Sticking to a specific language, is an indicator of poor ability... a
programming language, is a tool. You don't use one tool, for all your
work ... you select the tool, that best serves the problem. If you had a
handiman around, who only could handle a drilling machine ... you'd hardly
hire him to man a saw. But construction, usually requires every tool in the
toolbox ... not just a hammer.
>
> bottom line
> make sure to keep it simple
> say "hi" instead of "good afternoon, mam, how are you today"
>
> so, if YOU are going to keep it simple, then there is nothing wrong with
> C++.
>
> and as you grow into it, it will continue to be able to do whatever you
> want.
>
It comes down to, what you consider to be programming. I was looking at job
offers a week or so ago. The personel, wanted applicants to "solve"
programming puzzles, in C++ ... but the ones who created those "puzzles"
didn't know the difference between C and C++, nor the basics of object
orientation.
The KISS rule, is often a good rule ... and often it is not. It always
depends on what you want to accomplish. Years ago, there was this rule that
all programmers had to be mathematicians ... but they made worse programers,
than philosophers. Then, all programmers had to be painters (design good
pictures), but they couldn't solve a complex problem worth a dime... but they
looked good.
And then it's a question of what is considered simple. I was faced with a
puzzle once, the desired solution was in itself very simple ... but actually
quite lengthy in implementation, involved a lot of programming although the
programming was straight forward. The "correct" solution, was actually not
that simple ... quite complex, although not deeply mathematical. But
extremely simple in implementation. And that's quite often the case in
programming, the seemingly "simple" solutions bring about a very big and long
programs, that often are hard to track. While the seemingly "complex"
solutions, result in shorter programs, greater efficiency and stability.
Sticking to a specific language, is an indicator of poor ability... a
programming language, is a tool. You don't use one tool, for all your
work ... you select the tool, that best serves the problem. If you had a
handiman around, who only could handle a drilling machine ... you'd hardly
hire him to man a saw. But construction, usually requires every tool in the
toolbox ... not just a hammer.
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