Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxq.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!vax135!houxz!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxq!ken From: ken@ihuxq.UUCP (ken perlow) Newsgroups: net.lang Subject: Re: Professionalizing Programmers, Going Off-line Message-ID: <987@ihuxq.UUCP> Date: Fri, 8-Jun-84 11:17:28 EDT Article-I.D.: ihuxq.987 Posted: Fri Jun 8 11:17:28 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 9-Jun-84 07:58:57 EDT References: <1044@vax2.fluke.UUCP>, <537@opus.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 27 -- My first data structures course combined the worst of both worlds--the U of Wisconsin had 5 Terak micros running UCSD system for 40 of us + about 60 intro to programming students. You got to play around on-line, but you had to reserve 2 hr slots, often at 3 AM, always several days in advance. So we came in there with a LOT of code written out, with debugging hypotheses completely detailed, as there was no time to stop and think--and who could think straight at 3 AM anyway? (Remember, this was an intro course, long before any of us got used to hackers' hours.) So we could experiment on-line, but prepared for same off-line. Well, 7 non-trivial assignments in a 7-week summer session was a hell of a load. We were often working on two assignments at the same time, finishing up the one--invariably late (and late points were, of course, assessed) while starting the next. But it broke me of most of my worst habits--poor modularity, too few comments, variables called "x", a good night's sleep. Thanks, Bill Cox, wherever you are, I needed that. -- *** *** JE MAINTIENDRAI ***** ***** ****** ****** 08 Jun 84 [20 Prairial An CXCII] ken perlow ***** ***** (312)979-7261 ** ** ** ** ..ihnp4!ihuxq!ken *** ***