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Why Programming is Difficult

joearms.github.io

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Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#11

Post by sdegutis »

I think "bad environment" is the worst of all the problems.

At first we had no environment, so we had to make it ourselves. A few companies did this, and turned into monopolies.

Then we started trying to make free/open-source environments to combat this problem, but they ended up so incredibly scatterbrained that compatibility is a very real and current nightmare.

The monopolies are trying really hard to give us good environments, but first of all they come at a cost, which isn't accessible to many (Apple's hardware, MS's software, etc). And secondly they are not community-driven efforts, so we have little control over them.

So the battle rages on between the plethora of options I have for a programming environment. Meanwhile I'm just trying to write some simple apps that help me pay the bills (we get dangerously close to not being able to each month) and the competition between environments only slows me down.

Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#12

Post by steve-howard »

buckbova wrote: post #8

Most difficult part for me is letting go. I am compelled to febreeze every bit of code smell I come across. I often rewrite large sections of working code into better structures, more readable/concise syntax, better naming of variables/functions, etc. and In the process I have at times introduced bugs. But that isn't enough to deter me. I feel like I've accomplished something but in reality I have done nothing. It's…

I feel the same way, only I usually end up packing up those nice refactorings and tucking them away. I do not want to introduce a live site bug while trying to make things "nicer."

Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#15

Post by agumonkey »

buckbova wrote: post #8

Most difficult part for me is letting go. I am compelled to febreeze every bit of code smell I come across. I often rewrite large sections of working code into better structures, more readable/concise syntax, better naming of variables/functions, etc. and In the process I have at times introduced bugs. But that isn't enough to deter me. I feel like I've accomplished something but in reality I have done nothing. It's…

My latest addition to the never-ending TODO list : stalled project refactorings.

Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#16

Post by jrs235 »

buckbova wrote: post #8

Most difficult part for me is letting go. I am compelled to febreeze every bit of code smell I come across. I often rewrite large sections of working code into better structures, more readable/concise syntax, better naming of variables/functions, etc. and In the process I have at times introduced bugs. But that isn't enough to deter me. I feel like I've accomplished something but in reality I have done nothing. It's…

I agree.

However, "You know it's dirty back there, but it's not stopping the fridge from keeping your food cold."

If you don't properly maintain your fridge and allow too much dust to build up you could end up burning out the compressor.

Everything needs to be done thoughtfully, in moderation, and with purpose.

Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#17

Post by tenpoundhammer »

killertypo wrote: post #6
tenpoundhammer wrote: post #4

Good Article, I have found the hardest part of software to be the team work. It's hard to agreement on what's right, to write code that other people understand, to understand other peoples code, and generally just to get a good productive team working. In fact a lot of software design is just for making things easier for humans. Otherwise we could have files that are 14,000 lines long.... The hardest part of software…

strong ideas that are held weakly! I try my hardest to cultivate a mindset that allows people to speak freely and express their ideas and also drop said ideas when a clearly better idea arises. Every idea brought to the table should have a counter argument, we should all carefully discuss the pros and cons of everyone's ideas, and we shouldn't hold so tightly onto a pipe dream because we really want to use xyz tech o…

So true, then there is also the fact that some conversations aren't even worth having....

Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#18

Post by tenpoundhammer »

fit2rule wrote: post #9

Programming is difficult because people are profiting from the difficultability of it. For as long as you can give someone a money-making machine, but say that it will be 'a lot of esoteric work' to make it, grease it, keep it clean .. there will be development work. By the very nature of the business, if you are not improving something, some human-describable human activity, by using esoteric magic, you're probably…

Anyone can learn plumbing, framing, or drywall too, that doesn't mean we should all learn to do everything we need done. Furthermore it's not feasible or practical for anyone to be a master of everything.

This view point overlooks the fact that people don't have infinite time and resources for learning and/or creating stuff. It also ignores the role of specialization.

Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#19

Post by mnemonik »

buckbova wrote: post #8

Most difficult part for me is letting go. I am compelled to febreeze every bit of code smell I come across. I often rewrite large sections of working code into better structures, more readable/concise syntax, better naming of variables/functions, etc. and In the process I have at times introduced bugs. But that isn't enough to deter me. I feel like I've accomplished something but in reality I have done nothing. It's…

I've had the same problem at times. It's kind of a mental masturbation; adding more abstract structures and more higher order functions.

Need to strike a balance between Get Shit Done and leaving behind code that isn't a pain to maintain.

In fact, often the kind of abstractions I've created when I'm in that masturbatory mode described above, it turns out that the abstractions aren't worth it in the end because they're only used once, and it doesn't actually make the code cleaner or easier to maintain going forward!

Re: Why Programming is Difficult

#20

Post by Mikeb85 »

sdegutis wrote: post #11

I think "bad environment" is the worst of all the problems. At first we had no environment, so we had to make it ourselves. A few companies did this, and turned into monopolies. Then we started trying to make free/open-source environments to combat this problem, but they ended up so incredibly scatterbrained that compatibility is a very real and current nightmare. The monopolies are trying really hard to give us good…

Free/open source OSes are great programming environments that leave you in control.

As for the compatibility 'problem', install the compiler/interpreter version you need from source, use chroot if you need to, etc... If you're making apps to run on said scatterbrained systems, you can ship statically linked libraries with the app, or use a cross-platform solution (Java, HTML5, something like Haxe, etc...).

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