Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!pacbell!att!lzaz!lznv!psc From: psc@lznv.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Writing code by hand (was: Basics of Program Design) Message-ID: <1398@lznv.ATT.COM> Date: 6 Jul 88 13:41:51 GMT References: <900@td2cad.intel.com> <3537@pdn.UUCP> <1559@microsoft.UUCP> <1335@hp-sdd.HP.COM> Distribution: na Organization: AT&T Lines: 27 < "Would you buy a used operating system from these guys?" > In article <1335@hp-sdd.HP.COM>, nick@hp-sdd.HP.COM (Nick Flor) writes: > It's infinitely easier to type 'dd' to erase a line in VI, than to > use a pencil eraser. >Nick V. Flor ..hplabs!hp-sdd!nick Exactly why I *don't* use vi in the design stage! I've got a terrible memory. Managing complexity is something I've got to be very conscientious about. My first hack at a top-down design is usually nowhere near right. With an editor, I'd just change the lines. On paper, I either cross out a couple of lines, or just start on a fresh page. (Bound notebooks are useful, because I don't misplace the old design.) This way, when I'm a third of the way through, I can very easily pick up the good parts of the previous design attempt. SCCS and such don't help in this phase. I hate logging a mistake in the source database. An operating system that stores the last n versions of a file can help, sort of. You often find that the old stuff you wanted was in n+1 versions ago. This fear discourages you from saving your work often, which can have other bad effects. And designing on paper has one great advantage: I can write about other stuff in the margins. -Paul S. R. Chisholm, {ihnp4,cbosgd,allegra,rutgers}!mtune!lznv!psc AT&T Mail !psrchisholm, Internet psc@lznv.att.com I'm not speaking for my employer, I'm just speaking my mind.