optimization tricks ?

[Ulf Wiger]

On Mon, 15 May 2000 dgould@REDACTED wrote:

>Very nice. I prefer however to:
>
> 1. First make it beautiful
> 2. Then make it work
>
>Since 2 almost naturally follows from 1.
>
>The corollary is that one rarely ends up debugging pretty code.
>
>-dg "yes I am mostly serious about this"


The "first make it beautiful, then make it work" philosophy does
conflict somwhat with that other maxim, "plan to throw away the first
version of your program -- you will have to anyway."

In other words, it might be seen as a waste of time making your code
beautiful before you know that your thinking makes sense. In order to
test and verify your ideas, your code doesn't have to be that pretty.

...unless, of course, you write beautiful first drafts.  (:

Having said this, I think it's pretty much a question of different
mindsets. Some people work well only if they are allowed to do things
properly, in order; others create a mess, but lots of good stuff tends
to result from it. I once worked with a guy who was absolutely
brilliant, but who couldn't do anything half-baked even if his life
depended on it. Then again, he was not a programmer...

/Uffe
-- 
Ulf Wiger, Chief Designer AXD 301         <ulf.wiger@REDACTED>
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