My programming class, the only one I ever took, was BASIC. I was a senior in HS in 1970. Programs were stored on paper tape. The school had a total of 16KB disk space. Since then, every single job has been computer-based. My first out-of-college job, I was lead programmer for the data acquisition system testing large centrifugal compressors. Six months into the job, my boss complimented me on my programming skill. When I told my boss about THE class, she said, "Shut Up. Tell no one, and continue doing a great job." Next job I did CAD, FEA -- wrote my own pre-processors, and QA (statistics). Later I used an early flavor of XML and an emacs editor to create over 12,000 page of compiler docs in one year. Other jobs were with CAD and FEA firms, where coding (or a deep understanding) were necessary to effectively use the product. To this day I hand code web pages. And all this started with a single class in BASIC.
Minor correction, Scientific WAG. Sounds better. I do remember one programmer who was accurate. He was called ARP (for Anal Retentive Programmer). He was fired because he could did not change his estimates when asked to compromise. Let us review. He was accurate, when done his code required no fixes, therefore he was fired for not playing the game. Better game players promised on reduced time, but when all the fixes and reworks were added in, the project took way longer than the correct estimate of ARP. Conclusion, when accurate estimates and good code are devalued, let the games begin and good luck to the poor slob forced to use the bad code.
As a former tech writer (I got tired of writin' fiction), you really need someone to explain how well you have arranged the lovely little bits. Unless the code is "intuitively obvious to the casual observer" some kind of docs must be included. Do yourself a favor and get someone in there NOW to begin writing. And if the doc person is at all good, this will be a major help your QA. I was once the sole writer for a group of 12 programmers. In one of those cases where Microsquish gets it right, they plan for 1 writer per developer.
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My programming class, the only one I ever took, was BASIC. I was a senior in HS in 1970. Programs were stored on paper tape. The school had a total of 16KB disk space. Since then, every single job has been computer-based. My first out-of-college job, I was lead programmer for the data acquisition system testing large centrifugal compressors. Six months into the job, my boss complimented me on my programming skill. When I told my boss about THE class, she said, "Shut Up. Tell no one, and continue doing a great job." Next job I did CAD, FEA -- wrote my own pre-processors, and QA (statistics). Later I used an early flavor of XML and an emacs editor to create over 12,000 page of compiler docs in one year. Other jobs were with CAD and FEA firms, where coding (or a deep understanding) were necessary to effectively use the product. To this day I hand code web pages. And all this started with a single class in BASIC.
Minor correction, Scientific WAG. Sounds better. I do remember one programmer who was accurate. He was called ARP (for Anal Retentive Programmer). He was fired because he could did not change his estimates when asked to compromise. Let us review. He was accurate, when done his code required no fixes, therefore he was fired for not playing the game. Better game players promised on reduced time, but when all the fixes and reworks were added in, the project took way longer than the correct estimate of ARP. Conclusion, when accurate estimates and good code are devalued, let the games begin and good luck to the poor slob forced to use the bad code.
As a former tech writer (I got tired of writin' fiction), you really need someone to explain how well you have arranged the lovely little bits. Unless the code is "intuitively obvious to the casual observer" some kind of docs must be included. Do yourself a favor and get someone in there NOW to begin writing. And if the doc person is at all good, this will be a major help your QA. I was once the sole writer for a group of 12 programmers. In one of those cases where Microsquish gets it right, they plan for 1 writer per developer.