peter green wrote:
> the schools teach people they should plan thier programs
> and comment thier code but the programs simply aren't big enough to
> require the use of planning or comments.

Wrong, wrong, wrong!

Perhaps overt planning where a software structure document is created isn't
necessary for small programs, but comments certainly are.  Your kind of
attitude is why 99% of all software out there is crap and nearly useless for
modifying it.  Even a two line subroutine needs a comment explaining what it
does.  Code tells you actions in minute detail, comments tell you intent and
higher level purpose.  The two are very different and therefore both are
necessary components of any properly written software.

You are also implying that comments cost time.  This is totally wrong,
although a all too common fallacy.  Even the sloppiest and worst programmers
out there would probably admit that comments would have saved time after
several revisions are made to the code.  However they also save time right
away too.  Not chasing one bug probably pays for a few 100 lines of comments
on time alone.  Commenting every or most every line with paragraph comments
interspersed every 10-30 lines or so forces you to think about what you're
doing and doesn't allow for sloppy thoughts.  Comments are written in plain
text, which is easier and faster to type than most code which contains a
high proportion of special and unusual punctuation characters.  Unless
you're a complete imbecile with a keyboard, writing a end of line comment
kind of happens automatically.  You think the words and the fingers type the
characters by themselves.  The cost is really minimal, so the cost/benefit
in terms of reduced debugging time and higher quality result should be
self-evident to anyone who calls themselves a software engineer.


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