Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Software engineers hate code

dancowell.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 235 posts

Re: Software engineers hate code

#151

Post by andix »

aledalgrande wrote: post #146
andix wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Im a big advocate of rewriting code from scratch. Because on a rewrite you have a much better starting point. You have a (mostly) working solution, you understand the problem much better than on the first attempt, you have some tests and some data. Most of the time you don't rewrite it 100% from scratch, often you can copy a lot of code from the old solution. To utilize all those benefits you can't rewrite everything…

What you are describing is called "refactor" not "rewrite". Incremental changes that use existing code don't allow for great changes in the architecture. I'm not against rewrites, sometimes the company grew so much that you need to start from scratch and rethink given your current knowledge. Or you started with a low fidelity prototype and you rewrite to create a production ready feature, without the crufts in the de…

It's also possible to incrementally change the architecture. It doesn't have to be a Big Bang.

Edit: refactoring is usually considered to be done on existing code base. I really mean thowing a whole component away and re-doing it from scratch. The components need to be small enough though, that you can deliver them to production within 2-5 months.

Re: Software engineers hate code

#153

Post by aledalgrande »

andix wrote: post #151
aledalgrande wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What you are describing is called "refactor" not "rewrite". Incremental changes that use existing code don't allow for great changes in the architecture. I'm not against rewrites, sometimes the company grew so much that you need to start from scratch and rethink given your current knowledge. Or you started with a low fidelity prototype and you rewrite to create a production ready feature, without the crufts in the de…

It's also possible to incrementally change the architecture. It doesn't have to be a Big Bang. Edit: refactoring is usually considered to be done on existing code base. I really mean thowing a whole component away and re-doing it from scratch. The components need to be small enough though, that you can deliver them to production within 2-5 months.

Yes, it's not a black and white situation.

Re: Software engineers hate code

#154

Post by Brian_K_White »

flir wrote: post #148
soneca wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am one of those who prefer working on existing code. I like making things better, understanding how a code works is thrill, adding new features on existing premises. I am also an amateur fiction writer, and I notice the same thing in it. I like planning, but the first draft writing is a chore to me. An effort to vomit all my ideas as words. Then, I love rewriting. Revisiting what I wrote and improving it, fixing it…

Some people are editors, some people are authors. Some authors really need an editor.

Some editors don't know they're not authors.

Not a rebuttal just an addition. All these things are true.

Re: Software engineers hate code

#155

Post by riwsky »

easeout wrote: post #109

In this thread: Software engineers also love to point out when their counterexample has been glossed over by an intentionally simplistic thesis. (In this comment: Software engineers also love to sass one another)

Sass is unnecessary in modern stacks; just use tailwind instead

Re: Software engineers hate code

#157

Post by jononomo »

miikavonbell wrote: post #20

I've been a software developer for almost 10 years and during that time I've questioned many times why I keep on going. A while ago I realized that the biggest thing that I like about software development is the simplicity within it's complexity. What I mean by this is; software either works or it doesn't. In many other professions this is not the case. So while there are many things that could be done better and mor…

If you like ruthless simplicity you should try functional programming.

Re: Software engineers hate code

#158

Post by ranting-moth »

coding123 wrote: post #142
zer8k wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A follow up analogy is more typical in my experience. The foreman says that we should reinforce the walls. The PMP certified 6 sigma ninja Project Manager insists that the reinforced walls aren't necessary because no one is going to put anything on the wall. We will revisit the wall later when we the city tells us to enforce new wall codes. No more than 6 months later a contractor tried to add a shelf to the unenforc…

this is also not a good analogy because building codes will often just require 20" O.C or 16" O.C studs and those are in the plans- drafted by a person that designed the home (self, architect, drafter). Reinforcements for shelves or cabinets are also part of the code for kitchen walls. Those are not to be expected in every location in the house. The framers are locked into the house plans as far as stud distances and…

"programmers coding crap code" vs. builder building crap houses. Both exists and both are very real.

In many ways the builders are even worse because they can usually hide the faults with caulk and paint if you want. Problem becomes evident when things start to leak or rot. That can be later but been causing damage in the meantime.

Re: Software engineers hate code

#159

Post by lolc »

wizofaus wrote: post #147

> The more code that gets written, the more things there are to break, and more of those precious hours will be taken up by maintenance Can definitely relate - PRs with lots of new code immediately trigger alarm bells for me, and while reading through all that new code ain't necessarily fun, coming up with ways to reduce it is a worthwhile and rewarding challenge - unfortunately you're then stuck with the thankless t…

It's a good idea to pull in reviewers early while mapping out a solution. Not easy though.

Re: Software engineers hate code

#160

Post by pdimitar »

B1FF_PSUVM wrote: post #122
gabereiser wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“All of this has happened before, and all of this will happen again” - Six, BSG.

Filching from Nietzsche, scriptwriters are lazy bums.

Pieces of art are repurposed all the time, I am sure Nietzsche took it from somebody living even further back in the past.
Post reply on HN