RE: Comments in code

>     Kelly> only by asking=0D=0A>     Kelly> the question "what's better t=
han a comment here=3F" would one=0D=0A>     Kelly> even *begin* to explore =
the alternatives listed in this=0D=0A>     Kelly> thread.=0D=0A>=20=0D=0A> =
He's wrong, about me, at least.=0D=0A=0D=0AI can accept that you would inve=
stigate the alternatives, but do you=0D=0Ahave a bias against comments and =
in favor of easier to read code=3F=0D=0A=20=0D=0A> My biggest problem in co=
ding is getting distracted by=20=0D=0A> elegance and possibilities for refa=
ctoring.  I've done a fair=20=0D=0A> amount of study of number theory and f=
oundations of=20=0D=0A> mathematics (broad and shallow, for fun), and I'll =
guarantee=20=0D=0A> you that if I get started on PrimeNumbers the result wi=
ll be=20=0D=0A> a PrimeNumbers class with spotty coverage and poor=20=0D=0A=
> algorithmic quality, and the original project will go nowhere.=0D=0A=0D=0A=
I think that particular idea is overkill, and what's referred to in XP=0D=0A=
circles as YAGNI (You Ain't Gonna Need It) which is generally accepted=0D=0A=
as a "bad thing".=0D=0A=0D=0A> IMO for this particular case, practicality b=
eats purity. =20=0D=0A> Write the comment and move along.=0D=0A=0D=0AYou ma=
y have a point for this particular case. I use a lot of comments,=0D=0Athat=
 doesn't mean I'm comfortable with the fact. Yes, practicality must=0D=0Ata=
ke a front seat to get anywhere.=0D=0A=20=0D=0A>     Kelly> [more Bill] Tha=
t, IMHO is precisely why XP (and more=0D=0A>     Kelly> specifically TDD) i=
s catching on:=0D=0A>=20=0D=0A> I suspect that they're just plain more fun =
than writing good comments.=0D=0A> It will be interesting to see if they're=
 more productive.=0D=0A=0D=0AThe comment thing is just a small part of TDD.=
 The bigger parts are=0D=0Areally quite useful and practical. Those being "=
write tests first" and=0D=0Ado "incremental improvements to the code under =
test". Really good stuff=0D=0Afrom my point of view.=0D=0A=0D=0A-Kelly=0D=0A=0D=
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