Re: Urgent!!! UPGRADE METHODOLOGY

On 2007-09-26, Phlip <phlipcpp@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
dondora wrote:

While I was making the program,
I comformed to the design procedure which is widely used in practice.
I drew up requirement specifications and drew actor-class diagram, use
case and related diagrams.
And then I extracted candidate classes and drew up data dictionary and
blah blah sequence, class diagrams also.


One primary development methodology that is deceptively simple but extremely
effective is Test Driven Development, with Refactoring.


As an XP adherent, I agree completely with the above statement
on Test Driven Development.

But when it comes to enhancing software ("upgrading")
very little has changed in the last 40 or so years.
One needs to be able to comprehend the code that is
there already, so that any additions (or corrections)
can be made without breaking the existing code.

Very little is taught about software maintenance and
enhancement -- rather a pity, since most fresh-out-of-
college hires will find themselves doing maintenance
before they are allowed to design the company's
next billion dollar project.

When one finds that code is completely incomprehensible
to be maintainable, then the only thing
possible is to abandon it with the attending costs.
I worked with a FORTRAN programmer who was making
modifications to a program whose logic defied him.
At some point he stated that the programmer who wrote
the program must have been drunk. He paused and said
"Yes, by God, I was." He rewrote most of the code,
since it was such a mess.

So, if the beauty shop application's code makes no
sense, get ready to do it again and try to the
code something that can be maintained or enhanced.

(And find "Big Ball of Mud" on the web and read it.)

john slimick
slimick@xxxxxxxx
.

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