Again semantics, but I would argue that the only time you ever need to crack open the black box is when you feel that the black box's specifications aren't what you need. File::Temp has a certain set of CPU and RAM specifications along with its feature specifications. tachyon obviously felt that the hardware specs for File::Temp were too high for his needs. So, cracking open the black box to find out how it works is appropriate.

My point is that figuring out how the black box does its work is different from analyzing the low-level specs for the black box. We should all, as we improve in skill, have a greater understanding for the low-level specs. I still argue that I don't need to read the source in order to understand how bucket brigades work in Apache.

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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Then there are Damian modules.... *sigh* ... that's not about being less-lazy -- that's about being on some really good drugs -- you know, there is no spoon. - flyingmoose

I shouldn't have to say this, but any code, unless otherwise stated, is untested

In reply to Re^3: Bitten by the worst case (or why it pays to know whats inside the black box) by dragonchild
in thread Bitten by the worst case (or why it pays to know whats inside the black box) by demerphq

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