Re: Comments in code

[Stephane Delcroix <stephane delcroix org>]

Hi Michael,

I only can give an explanation on the lack of comments in the code I
write, but here's why I don't write comments:
- the code is easier to read than comments
- the code never lies
- with comments, it's really hard to keep code and comments in sync.
- good names for methods and attributes speaks for themselves (or
should)
- i'm a bit lazy
- the XP methodology says something like "if you can't understand a part
of the code, this code should probably be refactored"

>From my personal experience, I'm not sure that some more comments will
help you the best to know how f-spot works. If you're starting with
f-spot, your best friend is 'grep', the mailing-list and the IRC
channel.

And for the code you'll hopefully submit, add comments if you feel to.
But with or without comments, the code itself will be reviewed and shoud
be easy to understand

regards

s


On Thu, 2006-12-28 at 15:33 -0800, Michael Wayne Goodman wrote:
> I just got started digging through F-Spot's code a couple weeks ago.
> I noticed there are very few comments anywhere.  There are hardly any
> file headers, function headers, process descriptions, variable
> descriptions or anything.  The few comments I have seen are FIXMEs.
> 
> I'm trying to get started contributing to F-Spot, but I find it hard
> to get up to speed with what the code is doing.  Is there a reason for
> the severe lack of in-code documentation (or programming-centric
> documentation at all, for that matter)?  Or it just a result of the
> coders forgetting/neglecting to put in comments?  Finally, when I
> submit code, should it be commented?
> 
> Thank you
> 
> -mwg
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> 
-- 
Stephane Delcroix
stephane delcroix org