sreda, 8. julij 2009

Programming Standards

I think that standards are good thing but there can always be to much of a good thing.

Buying a lightbulb that fits perfect in the socket. That is a good way to make standards. Having 1 universal phone charger that is a good idea.

But for doing let say Object Relational Mapping or DI is it really a good thing to be forced to use this class with this interface with this xml config with this lines of code to get this specific use case covered? I don't think so.

Not to mention the sounding of totalitarianism. That is not a good thing. Programming practices or better said Programming craft is an evolving craft I am sure that in a couple of months we will find a better or at least a more refined way of doing ORM or DI. But in order to find better solutions we need to apply better code in the field. Why wait for a next version of desing by comeete standards? If you can get better productivity and quality TODAY! That doesn't make sense in engineering. Probably makes sense in politics. But politics != engineering.

On the other hand will we find a more optimal size for the lightbult socket? I don't think so. Should we make a standard for it? Sure.

Are we going to find a better way of doing ORM,DI, WebServies...etc. Sure we will. Should we make a standard? Nope. Better just make some guidelines.