Re: The Desktop and the Gnomeprint

[George <jirka 5z com>]

On Mon, Jul 27, 1998 at 05:30:33PM +0200, Tom Vogt wrote:
> > > Should code preceed design?  Or, in other words, should the ability to code
> > > something be guaranteed before the design is created?  Or should the ability
> > > be postulated and a design generated first?
> > 
> > I still don't get what you're asking here. Code -IS- design. 
> 
> sorry, but I don't agree on that. code is implementation of design.

nope ...

code is the implementation
code is the design
code is the documentation

this is the way the free software world works usually ... although
sometimes somebody breaks down and writes documentation ... or
describes the design (usually after the fact of coding it)

> > Thats really not how a programmer does his work. A programmer sits down
> > with a goal in his head, and just begins pounding the anvil, so to speak.
> 
> that's not a programmer, but a HACKER. :)

people who love programming are hackers, free software is done by people
who love programming, gnome is free software ... therefore gnome is written
by hackers

> not trying to put anyone down, I've done a lot of software exactly that way.
> but there are other projects where I spend the majority of time in the
> garden with a pen and a piece of paper. it really depends on what you are
> doing and for whom you are doing it.

we do write TODO's at work ... and sometimes even charts of interaction
between different progs ... but this just because we are forgetfull and
if we get an idea we write it down quick and implement it later ...
it's not what you'd call design, it's more of an idea buffering :)

> > A programmer doesn't really sit down with pen and paper and figure out the
> > technical odds and ends of HOW hes going to do something -- He just does
> > it.
> 
> they teach the whole business very differently at the university where I
> hope to get my diploma next year. :)

I have never seen a programming class actualy teach something that has really
been worth while in actual coding ...

> that's why we have a discussion list here, don't we? so that people who feel
> more inclined to thinking as to programming (at least concerned these
> specific points) can do their thinking and let the programmers harvest the
> results.

we programmers are also unique in that we are sometimes very picky at what
we want to implement ... sometimes we won't implement something JUST BECAUSE
we don't feel like it ... sometimes we won't like a perfectly good idea
and will implement it a different way because we think the code is prettier
or it makes something go faster

George

-- 
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George Lebl <jirka@5z.com> http://www.5z.com/jirka/
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