Re: code pages I think
As John W. Campbell (the Analog editor, do you know about him?) used to
repeat: you can't do just one thing. Everything has consequences. Mistakes
and omissions may be understandable, even forgivable, but the harm's done,
the cat's out of the bag, and the baby went with the bath water.
I wish parents and teachers and the media all over the world made it their
business to hammer into people's minds that doing things right is not only
nicer on your conscience and less harmful to others, but actually cheaper
and faster. A well-designed program usually works faster and better than an
inspired scrabble on your keyboard. Not that you'll always reach perfection,
but at least it should be your goal, your measure of things.
Gerardo
----- Original Message -----
From: <rforno at tutopia.com>
To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2001 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: code pages I think
> Gerado:
> I totally agree. But I know a lot of programmers/analysts who do not
behave
> this way, and then havoc crops up.
> I am now retired, but a year ago I was working as an analyst/programmer
for
> the Argentine Tax Office (DGI), and always put most care in my programs,
so
> I rarely had any problem. An error not only would mean a loss, but also
many
> troubles for the taxpayer and other co-workers.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gerardo" <gebrandariz at YAHOO.COM>
> To: "EUforum" <EUforum at topica.com>
> Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2001 3:59 PM
> Subject: Re: code pages I think
>
>
> >
> >
> > Kat,
> >
> > Let me add a personal thought, relevant to programming for others (and
not
> > just for our own enjoyment and illustration). I believe that a program
> > should either be so simple and straightforward that nothing could
possibly
> > affect it, or should give the user the opportunity to fiddle with every
> > setting until it looks and works right. Anything in between will work
> until
> > it doesn't, period.
> >
> > Remember Kant's moral imperative (say what? shut up and go get your
> > encyclopedia): do everything as if it could become a general rule. That
> is,
> > every program should behave as if lives depended on it. Think of medical
> > apps, of air control software, whatever example chills your bones best.
> I'm
> > working for the local stock exchange, where a real mistake might mean
> > millions of dollars, and there's no such thing as 'oops, sorry.'
> >
> > Hard work, ain't it?
> >
> > Gerardo
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