Part of the rationale for using re-programmable devices such as micro-controllers rather than mask programmed devices is that they can be field upgraded if bugs are found or if the specification changes. If you have to rewrite the code from scratch because it is not understandable you are going to be at a big disadvantage to a competitor who can change well documented code in an afternoon. On 13 April 2014 13:33, Ruben J=F6nsson wrote: > > > > Sorry John I tend to agree with Vicent. > > > > Is the goal to write a piece of software that performs a specific well > > defined task or something that will evolve to perform other yet to be > > defined tasks? Are you making the customer pay for a specific project o= r > > for something that can be adapted in the future for use by another > > customer? > > It is hard to adapt something that isn't well written and maintainable. > > > > > Is the goal to produce a simple IR remote control or to produce a weath= er > > forcasting system? Do you really need to use a 1GHz Cortex A8 or will a > > simple 8MHz 16F88 do the job. > > This has nothing to do with code being maintainable. > > > > > I concead that some projects need the participation of large numbers of > > programmers and it is vital that they be able to understand each others > > code but in such circumstances the goal changes to accomodate this need= .. > > > > I get really irritated when I see some individuals writing huge complex > > systems with complicated protocols for passing information around what = is > > otherwise a simple program just so they can postpone actually making a > > decision; systems that end up being so complicated that a simple change > > takes forever and leads to unforseen bugs. > > Then it is not well written or maintainable. > > > > Code should be maintainable but within limits - firstly the code should > do what > > it is supposed to. If it meets this criterion why does it need to be > maintained? > > > > How often do you make code that stays in V1.00? > > Don't you have returning customers that wants something done a couple of > years > ago but with "just" this and that modifications? > > So if you have already done something similar, you start from scratch > anyway? > > Code being "written what it was meant to do" is implied, that is not even= a > criteron. > > Of course, this is not black and white and nothing should be overdone, bu= t > maintainability is a very important rule in my book. > > /Ruben > > > > > > > Friendly Regards > > Sergio Masci > > -- > > -- > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > --=20 __________________________________________ David C Brown 43 Bings Road Whaley Bridge High Peak Phone: 01663 733236 Derbyshire eMail: dcb.home@gmail.com SK23 7ND web: www.bings-knowle.co.uk/dcb --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .