It'll take me more than 6 minutes just to switch to an IDE.
How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
31–40 of 48 posts
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
A bigger font is better for your upper back, too. Take a look around you and notice how many of your fellow developers--or anyone working with text at a computer--slouch forward every few seconds to peer at the monitor. Then notice yourself doing it. Bye, bye, chiropractor.
But how big is too big? I originally coded in Monospace 10. I tried to go 14 but I just found it unpleasantly big. What fonts can you recommend?
I use 14, I find it quite comfortable.
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#33I'm supposed to master an obscure language element, read through the source code of an open source project, refactor a method, run a static analysis tool, and do all the rest--all within six minutes? I do like the idea for making hard-coded strings stand out, however.
I think the six minutes refer only to the amount of time it takes to read the article.
If anything, it did remind me to refactor some longish functions I had in a class I was working on.
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#34> Use a bigger font size. >... >The effect is: you're forced to write shorter methods. And that's a Good Thing. I find the opposite is true - I need to see more lines to appreciate exactly how goddamn awful that 200 line function is. And when I go to refactor it I need to be able to see as much as possible of it on the screen to start extracting bits out and make it shorter without losing context.
He was talking about writing short methods to begin with, not fixing the already borked ones.
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#35It seems a bit odd to me that one would need to reduce the screen real estate in order to force one to write smaller, more succinct functions/methods. I think you either do this because of the right reasons, or you don't do it -- and trying to trick yourself into it just seems goofy.
The next step is to cut off your hands. That way you won't do any unnecessary typing.
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#36> Use a bigger font size. >... >The effect is: you're forced to write shorter methods. And that's a Good Thing. I find the opposite is true - I need to see more lines to appreciate exactly how goddamn awful that 200 line function is. And when I go to refactor it I need to be able to see as much as possible of it on the screen to start extracting bits out and make it shorter without losing context.
He was talking about writing short methods to begin with, not fixing the already borked ones.
Yeah, great advice. Programmers should also stop writing bugs, too. How hard is it to GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME?! All this bug hunting (and fixing) is a time waster.
(Sarcasm alert.)
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
He was talking about writing short methods to begin with, not fixing the already borked ones.
Yeah, great advice. Programmers should also stop writing bugs, too. How hard is it to GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME?! All this bug hunting (and fixing) is a time waster. (Sarcasm alert.)
You're kidding right? It's pretty simple to write small methods from the start, trivial in fact. If you think small methods come from lot's of cutting up of larger methods then you're doing it wrong. Writing well factored code isn't some magic trick that requires doing it wrong first and then refactoring to get it right.
Your sarcasm is misplaced and presumes bad code always comes before good code, it doesn't.
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#38Bigger text size is also good for not going blind. I've been coding with bigger text for a few months now, fewer headaches too.
I agree. For years I coded in tiny, non-anti-aliased fonts. Recently I switched to an anti-aliased font at a larger size and the difference is definitely real and positive. Less headaches, easier readability, more distance between my eyes and the screen. Also, make your fonts brighter but maintain a medium level of contrast with the background.
I heavily disagree though that larger fonts cause you to write shorter methods. That's kind of ridiculous.
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, great advice. Programmers should also stop writing bugs, too. How hard is it to GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME?! All this bug hunting (and fixing) is a time waster. (Sarcasm alert.)
You're kidding right? It's pretty simple to write small methods from the start, trivial in fact. If you think small methods come from lot's of cutting up of larger methods then you're doing it wrong. Writing well factored code isn't some magic trick that requires doing it wrong first and then refactoring to get it right. Your sarcasm is misplaced and presumes bad code always comes before good code, it doesn't.
I'm saying that it's easy to always try to do something, it's not always easy to succeed the first time.
You should always make it easy for yourself to fix mistakes, even if you shouldn't have made them in the first place.
Re: How to be a better programmer in 6 minutes
#40Bigger text size is also good for not going blind. I've been coding with bigger text for a few months now, fewer headaches too.
A bigger font is better for your upper back, too. Take a look around you and notice how many of your fellow developers--or anyone working with text at a computer--slouch forward every few seconds to peer at the monitor. Then notice yourself doing it. Bye, bye, chiropractor.
or get a monitor arm and lean back. I got one of these http://www.lcdarms.com/products/LCD_Radial_Arms/iLift.html . It has been really nice. I almost have my monitor positioned about like the light at a dentist's office.