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- Path: ocbbs.gen.nz!not-for-mail
- From: steve@hn.ocbbs.gen.nz (Steve Detoni)
- Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.programming
- Subject: Re: Overnight Programmers (was 'Young programmers read me')
- Followup-To: comp.lang.c++,comp.programming
- Date: 31 Mar 1996 13:16:36 +1200
- Message-ID: <4jkmdk$80m@hn.ocbbs.gen.nz>
- References: <4icpp9$7hr@barad-dur.nas.com> <4imqe4$cj3@ping1.ping.be> <4isq0a$5gr@scoop.eco.twg.com> <4iv1o6$22j@aadt.sdt.com>
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-
- david_hooker@sdt.com wrote:
- : I, of course, enjoy having the best tools for the job. I would not balk at
- : using Delphi to put together certain applications, or Smalltalk, or even
- : pure assembly! My gripe is those "programmers" that think just because they
- : can write basic C++, use VC++ (or BC++, I'm not partisan) and throw together
- : a simple application, that they are worthy of the title "Software Engineer" or
- : "Programmer/Analyst" or whatever.
- Fair enough, all knowledge comes from experience, and programming doesn't
- come over night without experience! People learning how to program
- sometimes fail to understand this, and think that it's just like baking a
- cake. Once learnt, all other cakes are more or less the say same (e.g. if
- a machanic describes how an engine works, his/her explaination can cover
- 90% of engines for all the motor cars). Programs on other hand can be
- totally different from every other program, although two programs can be
- written (using totally different algorthims) to solve the same problem.
- Having said this, programming is one of the arts of problem sovling that
- just doesn just happen. I suppose this can be compared with engineers
- that design/construct machinces to solve physical problems. Programmers
- no-doubt use the same type of methods to solve problems in the
- non-physical/mental sence (i.e. you can't touch programs).
-
- I myself have started programming in merest form 10 years ago and still
- don't think I'm half way to what I can still learn. With a comment like
- this I think there arn't such things as programming gurus, just people at
- higher levels of problem solving using a programming language, after all
- this is what computer programming is ... forcing your thoughts to how a
- computer language can be use to solve a conceptual problem.
-
- : Some memorable answers that an interviewee gave:
-
- : Q: What is a template function?
- : A: The shell code that Visual C++ generates for a method.
- Visual C++ is not the end all do all compiler for Windows ... Thank GOD.
- The version I've used is less than desirable .... especially the
- debugger.
-
- : Q: What is your favorite feature of C++?
- : A: CFrameWindow
- This is not true ... main() would be the correct answer C(++). MFC is a
- totally over complex than what it should be, inheritance has been overly
- used to the point were finding a functions/variable is a nightmare.
- Visual BASIC uses a better example in that like functions are visible
- easly within different objects VBX's. OOP is suppose to help complex
- programming, not hinder you!
-
- : Q: What part of C++ do you have trouble with?
- : A: OLE.
- Tis because microsoft wrote it! DDE isn't much better in easy of use.
- Microsoft seem to construct systems to such complexity that only they
- seem to fully know what's going on. People trying to learn this mis-mash
- of idea/concepts are usually faced with poor documentation as well. This
- is why such things as VISUAL BASIC is so popular ... easy to use, but
- with a pathic language, at least Delphi is a step in the right direction.
-
- Inter-process communication should be simple, should be able to pass
- messages too/from other processes without complex overheads. Named pipes
- in OS/2/Unix are good examples of a complex issue made simple ... now if
- microsoft could only stick to one standard programmers may have a chance
- to get use to their system. Windows is far from perfect for in any
- language ..... there are many things you have add extra code for, the idea
- is to Keep It Simple and Stupid (KISS). Microsoft think they can
- just present a product that looks good making the general public think it
- is good ... How you hate marketing when its right!
-
- Steve.
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