Re: Who is a Good Programmer?

From: Michael Jørgensen (ingen_at_ukendt.dk)
Date: 04/29/04 

Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 11:24:55 +0200

"Steve" <stevesusenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:6f8cb8c9.0404280932.a8780a2@posting.google.com...
> The way I see it a good programmer can be defined as someone who writes
good code.
>
> IMHO good code:
>
> - is easy to use for the end user
>
> - meets end user requirements
>
> - is FAST ( seems to be forgotten these days )
>
> - uses a minimum of machine resources
>
> - lends itself to reuse
>
> - minimal hard coding
> - has abudnance of access methods so it can be used as a component
> - is built with the possibility of expansion/modification in mind
>
> - is well commented
>
> - has descriptive, but not verbose variable names
>
> - guards against bad input
>
> - useful error messages
>
> Anyone else like to add anything to the list?
>
> Steve

I did not see the word "maintainable" anywhere above. In my experience, if
code is not maintainable, it simply has less value for the employer.

Many of your inputs above are "means to this end", i.e. are ways to achieve
maintainability. That is really the only goal for the programmer.

True, the *employer* needs to ensure that programs are delivered to the
customers on time, but that is a problem of project management, and does not
concern the source code itself.

Additionally, the ease of use for the end-user is a problem of design. Once
the design is given, good quality code is maintainable code and vice-versa.

-Michael.

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