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Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

baberuth.posterous.com

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Re: Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

#2

Post by rch »

I'd get into that. I am a C/C++ guy, writing Python (etc.,etc.), with R/Perl programming coworkers. There is obvious value for me in external reviews.

The trick is, could there be some sort of bilateral confidentially agreement? That's one I'd need to ponder a bit.

Re: Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

#5

Post by mikegreenberg »

rch wrote: post #2

I'd get into that. I am a C/C++ guy, writing Python (etc.,etc.), with R/Perl programming coworkers. There is obvious value for me in external reviews. The trick is, could there be some sort of bilateral confidentially agreement? That's one I'd need to ponder a bit.

I agree that solving the confidentiality part is key. I think it's very remote that someone will steal large swaths of code from you. But it might be a good idea to expect that your code example will act as part of "payment" for their review. If it bothers the author, maybe code review sessions can be broken up by individual functions/pages/modules that are looked at by many independent reviewers so no one reviewer sees it together as a package.

Re: Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

#6

Post by dy »

Another project in a similar vein is project metrics. Various times as I'm reviewing a library to include in my code, I'd like to compare various ones and see where the momentum is, how easy the code is to understand, how much work is being done on it. I think github is starting down this path but would like to see more of this type of thing.

Re: Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

#7

Post by baberuth »

rch wrote: post #2

I'd get into that. I am a C/C++ guy, writing Python (etc.,etc.), with R/Perl programming coworkers. There is obvious value for me in external reviews. The trick is, could there be some sort of bilateral confidentially agreement? That's one I'd need to ponder a bit.

I'm not super concerned about confidentiality for my code, but then again I'm not doing anything groundbreaking.

Mostly, if I cared about confidentiality, it'd be so I don't get publicly embarassed for crappy code.

Rating systems for reviewers would also let people build reputations so that reviewee's could feel more comfortable about code confidentiality.

Stack overflow already has reputations built in, so as I mentioned, it might just be awesome as a feature for SO. And another revenue stream, if they weren't already swimming in cash.

Re: Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

#8

Post by baberuth »

frobozz wrote: post #3

Interesting that the author suggests "maybe a feature off of stack overflow" Something like http://codereview.stackexchange.com perhaps?

something like that. This morning I had this thought for 2 things:

1. a python filtering function I wrote 2. how to restructure an entire django project.

Both (esp #2) are a little big for posting a code snippet. Bigger architecture problems probably only make sense within the context of the larger scope, so I'd pretty much want someone to check out the whole repository.

The SO thing would be great because SO has built in reputations so it'd help people feel more comfortable with giving away the entire project. I personally don't care, but I can imagine that being a barrier to code reviews by strangers.

Obviously, that sort of code review is a much more time-expensive request, so finding reviewers might also be hard without some sort of compensation.

Re: Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

#9

Post by frobozz »

baberuth wrote: post #7
rch wrote: post #2

I'd get into that. I am a C/C++ guy, writing Python (etc.,etc.), with R/Perl programming coworkers. There is obvious value for me in external reviews. The trick is, could there be some sort of bilateral confidentially agreement? That's one I'd need to ponder a bit.

I'm not super concerned about confidentiality for my code, but then again I'm not doing anything groundbreaking. Mostly, if I cared about confidentiality, it'd be so I don't get publicly embarassed for crappy code. Rating systems for reviewers would also let people build reputations so that reviewee's could feel more comfortable about code confidentiality. Stack overflow already has reputations built in, so as I ment…

The main confidentiality issue is not about whether you, the coder, cares about people stealing your groundbreaking idea. When you are doing work for hire, the code is not necessarily yours to publish.

Whilst sharing it with someone you could refer to as a colleague, employee, or contractor might be OK. Sharing it with the world, or someone who might share it with the world, is not.

Re: Project Idea: Trade or buy code reviews (for independent developers)

#10

Post by Stuk »

I was thinking along similar lines last week with regards to APIs. Obviously you want people to use them, and they only will if they're understandable and useful. It would be good to have something like http://fivesecondtest.com/, where people can comment on your ideas for "karma".

(aside: I can't actually work out if people who complete reviews at 5 sec tests get paid? Or if they do just get karma)

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