Re^2: Why no comments?

I'm surprised to see this node has a negative reputation -- I don't disagree strongly enough with it to downvote it, but I think it sets the 'you must comment!' bar a little high.

I agree that code/comment mis-matches is a problem -- in that case, I'd rather have no comments than bad comments.

Writing down comments on edge cases doesn't make the code more concrete -- comments don't change the code.

And I disagree that .. the writing of good comments is not a distraction or an overhead; if the comments get written during development, that's fine. Having to go back and add the comments afterwards is definitely overhead. Sometimes there just isn't time to spend a leisurely week adding comments and generally tightening code up.

Pull out some code from CPAN (say) and critique it for us .. we'll be glad to give you some feedback. :)

Alex / talexb / Toronto

"Groklaw is the open-source mentality applied to legal research" ~ Linus Torvalds

Comment on Re^2: Why no comments?

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Re^3: Why no comments? by gone2015 (Deacon) on Feb 02, 2009 at 11:34 UTC
Writing down comments on edge cases doesn't make the code more concrete -- comments don't change the code. Ah, what I was trying to say was that the writing of the comment helps make the thinking more concrete: often I can think I have something clear in my mind, but when I have to write it down, I find that my thinking was sloppier than I thought... if you see what I mean. if the comments get written during development, that's fine. Absolutely. This is what I was trying to say when talking about the comments being an integral part of the programming process. You have to think a chunk of code (or data) is for before you write it... writing some of that down in the form of comment helps the thought process now, as well as having benefits later. The writing of comments also has its place when reviewing the code. First, again because the act of writing concentrates the mind. Second, if the code and the comments don't tally, something needs to be thought about ! I must say I'm taken aback by the response... I get the feeling that there are a number of people who've been traumatised by being forced to eat their greens. Suggesting that greens should form part of a balanced diet seems to produce a gagging response :-)	[reply]

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Re^3: Why no comments?
by gone2015 (Deacon) on Feb 02, 2009 at 11:34 UTC

Writing down comments on edge cases doesn't make the code more concrete -- comments don't change the code.

Ah, what I was trying to say was that the writing of the comment helps make the thinking more concrete: often I can think I have something clear in my mind, but when I have to write it down, I find that my thinking was sloppier than I thought... if you see what I mean.

if the comments get written during development, that's fine.

Absolutely. This is what I was trying to say when talking about the comments being an integral part of the programming process. You have to think a chunk of code (or data) is for before you write it... writing some of that down in the form of comment helps the thought process now, as well as having benefits later.

The writing of comments also has its place when reviewing the code. First, again because the act of writing concentrates the mind. Second, if the code and the comments don't tally, something needs to be thought about !

I must say I'm taken aback by the response... I get the feeling that there are a number of people who've been traumatised by being forced to eat their greens. Suggesting that greens should form part of a balanced diet seems to produce a gagging response :-)

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