Re:Hard-to-swallow truths they won't tell you about software...
by throwaway2037 on Thursday November 09, 2023 @05:36AM
(#38203295)
About "Principle of Least Astonishment": In theory, it is cool. In practice, it is often used by gate keepers to shutdown newbies. After seeing that behaviour too many times, I stopped using the term.
A nicer way to say it (from pair programming ethos): If someone asks you a question to clarify some code, then it needs a comment (or a re-write/re-factor). Note that I didn't say anything about the experience level of the asker.
One more thing: I've met (multiple) people who are firmly in the "Convention over configuration" camp and the "Principle of Least Astonishment" camp and cannot understand how new joiners are continuously surprised by this or that convention.
A nicer way to say it (from pair programming ethos): If someone asks you a question to clarify some code, then it needs a comment (or a re-write/re-factor). Note that I didn't say anything about the experience level of the asker.
One more thing: I've met (multiple) people who are firmly in the "Convention over configuration" camp and the "Principle of Least Astonishment" camp and cannot understand how new joiners are continuously surprised by this or that convention.