Re: Obfuscation has no place in production code

in reply to Obfuscation has no place in production code

I have never, ever understood the need to obfuscate code in production. Do people really think it's a security measure? I've heard that touted, but never bought into it.

This may be off topic, but my chaotic brain sees it as relevant, so here goes: There has been some discussion of late as to first, second, and third rate programmers. My take on this is that we should be striving to become first rate communicators and that first rate programming is simply a means to that end. It's not just that we need to be smart about the code we produce. We ultimately need to be smart about how we use that code to get a message across, be it to the end user or the people who must live with our coding decisions, present and future. As FoxtrotUniform points out, the person you help just might be YOU. Obfuscation is a step in the wrong direction, IMHO. Fine as a game or an exercise, but definitely, definitely not for production environs. Consider this a humble third and ++'s to the author. <flame suit on>

---- I am what I read

Comment on Re: Obfuscation has no place in production code

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Re(2): Obfuscation has no place in production code by FoxtrotUniform (Prior) on Jun 12, 2002 at 15:53 UTC
I have never, ever understood the need to obfuscate code in production. The code in question wasn't deliberately obfuscated; it was more a matter of code written at 0300h, two hours after my last cup of coffee. While I'd be even harsher on deliberately obfuscated "real world" code, I've never seen it. (I'm just a lucky guy, I guess.) Remember, kids: always come back to your code with a critical eye. The butt you save may be your own. Personally, I see nothing wrong with obfuscation, golf, and so on. I appreciate the skill needed to pull it off, and the challenge a good obfu provides to those trying to unravel it (for recreational purposes, of course). I've nothing against a debate on obfu's merits and demerits; I just don't want to inadvertently become the bannerman for the "anti" side. `-- The hell with paco, vote for Erudil! /msg me if you downvote this node, please. :wq`	[reply]

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Re(2): Obfuscation has no place in production code
by FoxtrotUniform (Prior) on Jun 12, 2002 at 15:53 UTC

I have never, ever understood the need to obfuscate code in production.

The code in question wasn't deliberately obfuscated; it was more a matter of code written at 0300h, two hours after my last cup of coffee. While I'd be even harsher on deliberately obfuscated "real world" code, I've never seen it. (I'm just a lucky guy, I guess.)

Remember, kids: always come back to your code with a critical eye. The butt you save may be your own.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with obfuscation, golf, and so on. I appreciate the skill needed to pull it off, and the challenge a good obfu provides to those trying to unravel it (for recreational purposes, of course). I've nothing against a debate on obfu's merits and demerits; I just don't want to inadvertently become the bannerman for the "anti" side.

-- The hell with paco, vote for Erudil! /msg me if you downvote this node, please. :wq

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