Newsgroups: comp.object,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.smalltalk
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!oitnews.harvard.edu!news.dfci.harvard.edu!camelot.ccs.neu.edu!chaos.dac.neu.edu!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!interlog.com!news1.fonorola.net!newsjunkie.ans.net!lexmark!usenet
From: leshek@lexmark.com(Leshek Fiedorowicz)
Subject: Re: Classic OO Management Mistakes
Sender: usenet@lexmark.com (News Dude)
Message-ID: <DEyHFz.8nF@lexmark.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1995 16:50:22 GMT
Reply-To: leshek@lexmark.com(Leshek Fiedorowicz)
References: <42uupj$mq5@redstone.interpath.net> <430k4o$j2@mercury.galstar.com> <rfenney-110995133412@rfenney.slip.netcom.com> <432ap5$9ii@mercury.galstar.com> <43bt1t$bli@m1.cs.man.ac.uk>
Nntp-Posting-Host: leshek.pad.prtdev.lexmark.com
Organization: AIC / Lexmark - Printer Desktop Management Interface Development  
X-Newsreader: IBM NewsReader/2 v1.2
X-Disclaimer: These views are the poster's and not necessarily those of Lexmark
Lines: 37
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.object:38352 comp.lang.c++:149091 comp.lang.smalltalk:28392

In <43bt1t$bli@m1.cs.man.ac.uk>, ryderf@cs.man.ac.uk (Phran Ryder) writes:
>..
>- coding before thinking. Too often when a new problem needs
>solving programmers reach for the keyboard before the problem,
>let alone the solution, is understood. When coding does
>start more often programmers should initially start
>trying out ideas (rapid prototyping). When the problem
>and solution are understood the code produced so far
>should be thrown away. I find thinking before coding
>and throwing away prototypes very hard to do (If any
>one has any hints to make it easier I love to know)
>but when I do the resulting systems is always better.
>...

Confession:
 So far, except of a few toys done on my own, I was I was able to do it only
 once.  

It was hard, after creating prototype in about a month, I was writing and 
re-writing the document (in work, on the plane, in the leving room "watching"
TV with my family with the laptop, everywhere :-) for another 2 month with 
no other visible progress.

Customer management did not say anything, from time to time they only asked,
with a strange looks, if I will be able to meet the schedule.  They trusted 
me, but still it wasn't easy to take, knowing that I could hack the "working"
code in about a month.  

I am proud of the results.  It took over 3 month of heavy overtime work, 
but it payed off.  Major additional functionality has been requested late in 
beta test; it took *two* regular 8h days to implement it !  
 
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._
Leshek Fiedorowicz         "Whatever I say it is just a gossip..." (Logan :-) 
leshek@lexmark.com                    AIC / Lexmark USA (Network Printer LAB) 
74170.2007@compuserve.com                      Software Engineer / Consultant

