Decisions, decisions

As developers, we are constantly making decisions about how to implement a feature, a business rule, a data schema, etc. Sometimes we even find ourselves questioning the decisions of others. For example, have you ever been visiting a website, or using a mobile application and asked yourself “why did the developer choose to do it that way?”

Last night, I stumbled upon an article that describes how some of the decisions made at the language level affect us as developers, and their cost impact on businesses. The choice of the C language to use NULL terminated strings may be the most expensive mistake in the history of programming!

Enjoy.

Warning: this really is for the geekiest among you.

http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=2010365

Upcoming Speaking Engagement

Come join the largest free tech conference in Louisiana – there are already over 500 registrations! Come by and get your day started off with my Zen Coding session.

Saturday August 5th, 2011
Zen Coding
SQL Saturday Baton Rouge
8:30-9:30pm
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Parking Lot Programmer

In this industry, we are all familiar with the term "duct tape developer". Those who throw caution to the wind, who turn their noses up at such things as design, test coverage, and the acquisition of new knowledge. Those who scoff at the notion of principles, patterns, and discipline. Those who ride their proverbial Ford F-150 full speed ahead, blindfolded, with a can of on sale malted beverage in one hand and honking the horn with the other. They leave behind a cloud of burnt fossil fuels, a mighty “YEEHAW” ringing in the minds of those within earshot, the indelible afterimage of a “git ‘er done” bumper sticker, and skid marks in the codebase. Well today I am going to simplify that image and take it out of the pickup and move it to the parking lot.

A parking lot programmer is like a buddy who gets drunk and loses his keys in the parking lot. You go out to check on him and he's looking for the keys under a streetlight even though he knows he lost them somewhere else. So you ask him "why are you looking here?" and he looks up and says confidently "because there's more light here".

Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Saturday January 30th, 2011
Zen Coding
SQL Saturday Houston
11:00-12:00pm
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Tuesday February 1st, 2011
Tales from the Code
11:00-12:00pm
Fayard Hall Room 218
Southeastern University
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