Re: [Freedos-user] Strongly recommended reading...
Hello, 2007/6/4, Eric Auer [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Hi Aitor, I am afraid I disagree, Eric. We are just having badly or poorly commented code BECAUSE we are creating Open Source. I believe it is not as much the case for SMALL firms, but as for software written for big firms, they usually not only count, but also force you to write complete documentation (not only code comments), functional and technical, some others also test cases, and many many manuals for it. That would possibly be overdoing things again... I hope that my open source code - and quite a bit of the FreeDOS stuff - has reasonably well commented sources. On the other hand, I have I don't quite agree, but anyway I don't care about the local comments, but just some document explaining the basic architecture of a piece of software (usually 1-2 lines saying where to start). I'm not free of guilt, though. I just try to describe what I see in real life. seen the case that a meeting about coding style has been post- poned (in a company) because people will not change anyway. So far for companies giving the good example ;-). Not serious ones. Strategic decission to change services provider can come, and then what. But of course it is always good to remember that we have to remind ourselves to write good code in open source. Because we are not paid for FreeDOS, there is no quality control dept either. On the other hand, there could be one - working with volunteers, just like our software devel dept :-). That would be an idea, provided that there would be enough volunteers to afford that. Hopefully there's one for Linux kernel, e.g. Aitor - This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Strongly recommended reading...
But of course it is always good to remember that we have to remind ourselves to write good code in open source. Because we are not paid for FreeDOS, there is no quality control dept either. On the other hand, there could be one - working with volunteers, just like our software devel dept :-). Documentation should all done as a wiki. that way everyone can access/modify it and not be a mercy of the one. :-) Not sure if freedos.org has gone done that already... --chris Building a website is a piece of cake. Yahoo! Small Business gives you all the tools to get online. http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/webhosting - This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Strongly recommended reading...
Hi Aitor, I am afraid I disagree, Eric. We are just having badly or poorly commented code BECAUSE we are creating Open Source. I believe it is not as much the case for SMALL firms, but as for software written for big firms, they usually not only count, but also force you to write complete documentation (not only code comments), functional and technical, some others also test cases, and many many manuals for it. That would possibly be overdoing things again... I hope that my open source code - and quite a bit of the FreeDOS stuff - has reasonably well commented sources. On the other hand, I have seen the case that a meeting about coding style has been post- poned (in a company) because people will not change anyway. So far for companies giving the good example ;-). But of course it is always good to remember that we have to remind ourselves to write good code in open source. Because we are not paid for FreeDOS, there is no quality control dept either. On the other hand, there could be one - working with volunteers, just like our software devel dept :-). Eric - This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
Re: [Freedos-user] Strongly recommended reading...
Hello, 2007/5/30, Eric Auer [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Hi! Why isn't good documentation the norm? Programmers aren't rewarded for it. I agree on the latter - I usually TAKE time to have reasonable comments in my code because it is open source (so others can reuse it or help improving it) or because I simply insist on having maintainable code. It hardly ever happens that you GET significant time on your schedule for maintainability or deep maintenance work like audits. Customers only PAY for features and few IT people think about the point that code does and will change, so you better make it maintainable from the start. Good luck with convincing your colleagues ;-). I am afraid I disagree, Eric. We are just having badly or poorly commented code BECAUSE we are creating Open Source. I believe it is not as much the case for SMALL firms, but as for software written for big firms, they usually not only count, but also force you to write complete documentation (not only code comments), functional and technical, some others also test cases, and many many manuals for it. Some even pay for projects which are purely analytical/functional, and that only produce documents, not code. And they are imposing money pennalizations not only because of bugs, but also because of documents not in time, etc. For OpenSource there's no such pressure. As you are not paid, you don't have to write documentation, so you just write features. Of course, not only for the maintainability, but also to increase the inter-cooperation, documentation is vital, but usually neglected. Only big open source projects as Linux can expect to have some quality documentation. As for FreeDOS, we have Pat Vilani's original book. Unfortunately it has evolved quite a bit from there. Maybe one day we get the critical mass as to afford more detailed documentation. Aitor - This SF.net email is sponsored by DB2 Express Download DB2 Express C - the FREE version of DB2 express and take control of your XML. No limits. Just data. Click to get it now. http://sourceforge.net/powerbar/db2/ ___ Freedos-user mailing list Freedos-user@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-user
