Path: csiph.com!usenet.pasdenom.info!weretis.net!feeder1.news.weretis.net!feeder4.news.weretis.net!feeds.phibee-telecom.net!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed3.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!newsgate.cistron.nl!newsgate.news.xs4all.nl!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.039 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.92; '*S*': 0.00; 'c++,': 0.07; 'subject:code': 0.07; '*is*': 0.09; 'lawrence': 0.09; 'rewrite': 0.09; 'bug': 0.12; 'buggy': 0.16; 'fixes.': 0.16; 'from:addr:rosuav': 0.16; 'from:name:chris angelico': 0.16; 'oddity': 0.16; 'porting': 0.16; 'referencing': 0.16; 'exception': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'trying': 0.19; 'written': 0.21; 'example': 0.22; 'mon,': 0.24; "i've": 0.25; 'header:In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; 'code': 0.31; '(most': 0.33; 'position.': 0.33; 'comment': 0.34; 'something': 0.35; 'johnson': 0.35; 'no,': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'version': 0.36; 'explains': 0.36; "i'll": 0.36; 'should': 0.36; 'sometimes': 0.38; 'nov': 0.38; 'handle': 0.38; 'to:addr:python-list': 0.38; 'pm,': 0.38; 'itself': 0.39; 'supporting': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'even': 0.60; 'new': 0.61; 'simply': 0.61; 'subject:The': 0.64; 'more': 0.64; 'due': 0.66; 'benefit': 0.68; 'frequently': 0.68; 'hardly': 0.84; 'proves': 0.84; 'rick': 0.93; 'contrary': 0.95; '2013': 0.98 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type; bh=7seiuNtufZnVoNfNtlyqoSMb+lXnsFImTeqbP90TOEI=; b=LxuRpplo8WxLLBuUAMW7hQA4rbaL0xq8EghToI1yEpuVi3dBmjoGD7gGg/Ejf9pv9t S5miFB5eXWmDNmpsAzLLlhVFsx94IJFbGplkfGwRxAEwiw3hKwTz67/rYHNR7P75YjTv SofylJ+ZDiFOWD4t32Am6nuPXDRR38yS7SvV//AbXOrwUzrB2hoyqgxAAbptOSrOu36W 6H/udw8YfnwF/9E1qJJYPcrkYId07FIdkeGrV6zBpXz6Ldib3rnQSju00OlxeRnw4ldB dXMMVTi7LgSzmHGIUYDjb4yCygSSasoiCch4K1Xo9CbtoTQFKfXi1QaXFhpxMz84JxO7 244w== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.68.197.234 with SMTP id ix10mr394692pbc.185.1384163598858; Mon, 11 Nov 2013 01:53:18 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: References: <527e2d9c$0$29972$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 20:53:18 +1100 Subject: Re: The narcissism of small code differences From: Chris Angelico To: python-list@python.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 25 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1384163608 news.xs4all.nl 15903 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:48312 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:59057 On Mon, Nov 11, 2013 at 8:25 PM, Mark Lawrence wrote: > On 11/11/2013 06:50, Rick Johnson wrote: >> In a nutshell the author attempts to plead for the >> "longevity" of "old code bases" simply on the basis of his >> assertion that "old code bases" are "less buggy" and >> contain more "wisdom" than their new brethren -- both of >> which are absurd conclusions! >> > > I recall that the demise of Netscape was due to them trying to completely > rewrite code of this nature. The exception that proves the rule? No, I would say Netscape's experience is a strong supporting example of the contrary position. I've frequently had need to reimplement something (most recently as part of porting functionality from RosMud, written in C++, to Gypsum, written in Pike), and referencing the old code is the best way to benefit from X years of corner-case discoveries and bug fixes. Sometimes I'll even copy and paste a comment from one version to another, because it perfectly explains some oddity that the code has to handle - even if the code itself is completely rewritten. Definitely if hunks of code can be kept, they should be. The old code base *IS* less buggy and contains more wisdom. Hardly absurd. ChrisA