Tuesday, October 11, 2005
The 10 Computer Commandments
Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand. (Fowler)
If you have too many special cases, you are doing it wrong.
Testing can show the presence of bugs, but not their absence.
The first step in fixing a broken program is getting it to fail repeatedly.
The fastest algorithm can frequently be replaced by one that is almost as fast and much easier to understand.
The cheapest, fastest, and most reliable components of a computer system are those that aren't there.
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
Don't use the computer to do things that can be done efficiently by hand.
[Thompson's Rule for first-time telescope makers] It is faster to make a four-inch mirror then a six-inch mirror than to make a six-inch mirror.
If you lie to the computer, it will get you.
If you have too many special cases, you are doing it wrong.
Testing can show the presence of bugs, but not their absence.
The first step in fixing a broken program is getting it to fail repeatedly.
The fastest algorithm can frequently be replaced by one that is almost as fast and much easier to understand.
The cheapest, fastest, and most reliable components of a computer system are those that aren't there.
Good judgement comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgement.
Don't use the computer to do things that can be done efficiently by hand.
[Thompson's Rule for first-time telescope makers] It is faster to make a four-inch mirror then a six-inch mirror than to make a six-inch mirror.
If you lie to the computer, it will get you.
