more about programming style

[John McNamee]

>> = John McNamee <jpm at bnl44.arpa> (me)
>> C programming is something that should be attempted only by professionals.
>> There are other languages (such as BASIC) which the average luser might be
>> able to learn if they put their mind to it.

> = Mark Flynn <mff at wuphys.uucp>
> Of all the arrogant, swellheaded piles of bullsh*t, this is the biggest I've
> run across in quite a while.  What this person is implying is "You can't
> criticize my programming style because I'm a professional programmer and
> you're not, so there!"  Real class.  BTW, is "luser" a typo, or another barb
> cast upon the masses from on high?

I am saying that I am a professional programmer. I write programs that can
be understood and modified by other professional programmers. It is not my
job to write programs so any Joe Blow off the street can read them. C is
not easy to learn or use, at least when compared to things like BASIC (which
is often used by non-professional-programmers). As a full-time computer
professional, I am expected to know how to make the most out of C, and I am
hired because of that skill. I write programs that are compact, execute
quickly, have a good user interface, and I get them done on time. People
pay me good money because I can do all that. If I also had to write code
that ANYBODY with no C training could read, I would not be able to do any of
the above. I will continue to maintain that langauges (such as BASIC) exist
for non-professional-programmers to implement solutions to their particular
problems, and that such people have no business using C unless they want to
invest the time to learn it. If they want a professional solution to their
problems, they should hire somebody like me or spend the time themselves
to learn what they are doing. You can't have it both ways; ease of use is
always in a tradeoff with power. C is total power for the professional,
and I wouldn't want it any other way.

BTW, "luser" was not a typo. It is hacker slang for somebody who learns
only enough about a computer system to get his/her particular job done,
and does not explore the limits of what the machine can do (that sort of
person is called a hacker).