If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be an int or a float, or possibly a programmer defined complex number. Scripting languages are great for quickly dashing off a smallish program, but for programs running into hundreds of thousands of lines, you want strong typing. Even if the compiler can figure out what you meant, human readers may not. Trust me on this one.
I have always heard great things about code reviews. However, our company recently began a policy of formal code reviews and they have not lived up to my expectations. We rarely find any real bugs or serious design flaws. We find things like minor coding standard violations, or "you should move this statement here to make things clearer". While these findings may help improve the code, I don't think that they justify the time spent in review. And these reviews are turning out to be very time consuming, not to mention one of the most boring things I have ever done at work. This group of developers is one of the most talented and experienced groups that I have worked with. One would think that if code reviews would work for anyone, they would work for us.
Incidentally, we do keep statistics on defects. Unfortunately, the minor improvements we find make it seem like we are finding a reasonable number of defects.
Gates sold IBM the rights to use DOS in all their computers, forever, for the one time price of $50,000. Not enough to make him a billionaire. However, smaller, more efficient companies built IBM compatible computers much cheaper than IBM could, eventually driving IBM out of the market. Gates sold DOS to them at a per copy rate. That did make him a billionaire.
I keep a text file with daily notes. If I forget something (like what's that goofy syntax for find with a wild card again), I just do a grep and find it in my notes.
In the US, the SSN is essentially a national ID. It wasn't intended to be. What happened? In a modern society, you need a universal means of identification. The SSN is the only nation wide number that almost every adult has. It became the national ID by default.
By not recognizing this, we continue to leave it insecure. There should be an additional password associated with your SSN. That password would be in a secure national database, and it would be unlawful for a commercial entity to store that password on a computer. They would only be able to verify that the SSN and password match by accessing the national database.
Illegal aliens would not be able to get a job with my SSN, and identity thieves would not be able to get a credit card with my name and SSN. If I suspected anything, I could change my password.
Unfortunately, if you mention a national database, some people go crazy.
Here's how I do the braces thing. The braces line up, plus you don't "waste" a line (making your code shorter and more likely to fit in your window). However, I don't know anyone else in the Universe who codes like this, and I can't figure out why.
A lot of coding standards are mostly personal preference, like indenting x spaces. Here are some for C++ that I think make your code less error prone.
* Allocate resources in constructors, deallocate them in destructors.
* Put objects on the stack, whenever possible.
* If it does not make sense to copy or assign an object, then disable the copy constructor and assignment operator by declaring them, and not implementing them.
* Declare and initialize objects as close as possible to where they are used.
Then why are you using it? Find a better library, or create a facade in front of it that provides a better API.
We have to use it because this stuff dominates the market niche we are in. I tried the facade approach in my last project but, unfortunately, my approach didn't fit in very well with the way the chief architect wanted to do things. I am starting a one person project, now. I am planning on giving it another shot. Of course, if I don't do an exceptional job, it won't do anyone any good.
This assumes the code is good. If it isn't, it's akin to eating your own vomit.
In my current project we are using a third party library that is very powerful and comprehensive, but the API is overly complex and poorly documented. It takes a year or two before it stops being mysterious and becomes merely frustrating. Writing code that is easy to re-use is an uncommon art.
There was only one time when I didn't wear a suit to an interview. That was a second interview at a place that was very casual (there was a dog sleeping on the floor in the hall). It just seems to be what everyone expects (I live on the east coast).
Solve an interesting problem. Here's one I worked on a few years back. http://www.frank-buss.de/challenge/index.html. You can do it in one Saturday afternoon, and it should be fun. Polish it up, be prepared to explain your solution, and you're set.
It is a feature of the language everyone has to deal with for a tiny minority of users.
The people using C++ for engineering, mathematical, and scientific applications may be a minority, but not a tiny minority. No one has to deal with operator overloading if it is not applicable to their application. If a developer is too immature to recognize when a feature is a bad choice, then operator overloading is the least of his problems.
This is before tax. My taxes run about 25%. This varies quit a bit depending on number of dependents, and other deductions. Most Americans also get benefits, such as subsidized medical insurance, matched savings plans, etc.
Yep. The ideal software module is the cos (cosine) function. It has a well defined input, well defined output, no side effects, can be plugged into any system, is easy to re-use, and is very useful.
By the way, are you sure that there are good COBOL programs?
I disagree. The fall of housing prices is a good thing, not a bad thing. The recent rapid rise in the price of homes was an unsustainable bubble. The average person can't afford a house at these prices unless a greedy lending company gives them a loan they can't pay back. (Some would call this stupidity instead of greed). Housing prices have to come down. It will be painful in the short run, but it has to happen.
The government knows exactly how much I make. People can look me up on line and see where I live, and how much I paid for my house. Credit companies know if I am late paying my bills. My credit card company knows what kind of purchases I make, and calls me if I do something unusual. Amazon knows what kind of books I read. Netflix knows what kind of movies I watch. In my county, you can look up my name on line and see if I have an outstanding traffic ticket. So you think I am going to get excited about my "privacy" if I have to show an ID?
Slashdot Mirror
If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be an int or a float, or possibly a programmer defined complex number. Scripting languages are great for quickly dashing off a smallish program, but for programs running into hundreds of thousands of lines, you want strong typing. Even if the compiler can figure out what you meant, human readers may not. Trust me on this one.
I have always heard great things about code reviews. However, our company recently began a policy of formal code reviews and they have not lived up to my expectations. We rarely find any real bugs or serious design flaws. We find things like minor coding standard violations, or "you should move this statement here to make things clearer". While these findings may help improve the code, I don't think that they justify the time spent in review. And these reviews are turning out to be very time consuming, not to mention one of the most boring things I have ever done at work. This group of developers is one of the most talented and experienced groups that I have worked with. One would think that if code reviews would work for anyone, they would work for us.
Incidentally, we do keep statistics on defects. Unfortunately, the minor improvements we find make it seem like we are finding a reasonable number of defects.
Gates sold IBM the rights to use DOS in all their computers, forever, for the one time price of $50,000. Not enough to make him a billionaire. However, smaller, more efficient companies built IBM compatible computers much cheaper than IBM could, eventually driving IBM out of the market. Gates sold DOS to them at a per copy rate. That did make him a billionaire.
Who needs a list of the 500 worst passwords. What we need is a list of the 500 best passwords.
Nine times out of ten, nothing bad will happen. However, getting fired for a childish stunt is not a good career move. Don't do it.
I think the GM workers are doing the same type of thing, hoping people will buy Toyotas. It's working.
Maybe they went to McDonald's, instead.
I keep a text file with daily notes. If I forget something (like what's that goofy syntax for find with a wild card again), I just do a grep and find it in my notes.
In the US, the SSN is essentially a national ID. It wasn't intended to be. What happened? In a modern society, you need a universal means of identification. The SSN is the only nation wide number that almost every adult has. It became the national ID by default.
By not recognizing this, we continue to leave it insecure. There should be an additional password associated with your SSN. That password would be in a secure national database, and it would be unlawful for a commercial entity to store that password on a computer. They would only be able to verify that the SSN and password match by accessing the national database.
Illegal aliens would not be able to get a job with my SSN, and identity thieves would not be able to get a credit card with my name and SSN. If I suspected anything, I could change my password.
Unfortunately, if you mention a national database, some people go crazy.
I will believe "mildly inconvenient", but not "hard".
When you hit enter after statement1;, does your editor put the cursor directly under the 's'
My editor is Emacs, and yes it does. I also have a number of custom c-mode settings in my .emacs file, so that probably helps, also.
Lines are cheap
Here's how I do the braces thing. The braces line up, plus you don't "waste" a line (making your code shorter and more likely to fit in your window). However, I don't know anyone else in the Universe who codes like this, and I can't figure out why.
A lot of coding standards are mostly personal preference, like indenting x spaces. Here are some for C++ that I think make your code less error prone.
* Allocate resources in constructors, deallocate them in destructors.
* Put objects on the stack, whenever possible.
* If it does not make sense to copy or assign an object, then disable the copy constructor and assignment operator by declaring them, and not implementing them.
* Declare and initialize objects as close as possible to where they are used.
Then why are you using it? Find a better library, or create a facade in front of it that provides a better API.
We have to use it because this stuff dominates the market niche we are in. I tried the facade approach in my last project but, unfortunately, my approach didn't fit in very well with the way the chief architect wanted to do things. I am starting a one person project, now. I am planning on giving it another shot. Of course, if I don't do an exceptional job, it won't do anyone any good.
This assumes the code is good. If it isn't, it's akin to eating your own vomit.
In my current project we are using a third party library that is very powerful and comprehensive, but the API is overly complex and poorly documented. It takes a year or two before it stops being mysterious and becomes merely frustrating. Writing code that is easy to re-use is an uncommon art.
There was only one time when I didn't wear a suit to an interview. That was a second interview at a place that was very casual (there was a dog sleeping on the floor in the hall). It just seems to be what everyone expects (I live on the east coast).
Solve an interesting problem. Here's one I worked on a few years back. http://www.frank-buss.de/challenge/index.html. You can do it in one Saturday afternoon, and it should be fun. Polish it up, be prepared to explain your solution, and you're set.
Congratulations. This is the funniest thing I've ever read on Slashdot.
The people using C++ for engineering, mathematical, and scientific applications may be a minority, but not a tiny minority. No one has to deal with operator overloading if it is not applicable to their application. If a developer is too immature to recognize when a feature is a bad choice, then operator overloading is the least of his problems.
If it's no longer possible to process it into C, then it is no longer possible to compile it into machine language.
The winters are cold and often icy. The summers are hot and always humid. The springs and falls are wonderful, but short.
This is before tax. My taxes run about 25%. This varies quit a bit depending on number of dependents, and other deductions. Most Americans also get benefits, such as subsidized medical insurance, matched savings plans, etc.
Yep. The ideal software module is the cos (cosine) function. It has a well defined input, well defined output, no side effects, can be plugged into any system, is easy to re-use, and is very useful.
By the way, are you sure that there are good COBOL programs?
I disagree. The fall of housing prices is a good thing, not a bad thing. The recent rapid rise in the price of homes was an unsustainable bubble. The average person can't afford a house at these prices unless a greedy lending company gives them a loan they can't pay back. (Some would call this stupidity instead of greed). Housing prices have to come down. It will be painful in the short run, but it has to happen.
The government knows exactly how much I make. People can look me up on line and see where I live, and how much I paid for my house. Credit companies know if I am late paying my bills. My credit card company knows what kind of purchases I make, and calls me if I do something unusual. Amazon knows what kind of books I read. Netflix knows what kind of movies I watch. In my county, you can look up my name on line and see if I have an outstanding traffic ticket. So you think I am going to get excited about my "privacy" if I have to show an ID?