A Pragmatic Perspective by Nino D'Aversa

The Cathedral and the Bazaar

“Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow” -Eric Raymond

I particularly like this quote I believe it encapsulates the concept of the value of code review and diligent programming. I have found from personal experiences the difficulties in trying to build software like a cathedral. It becomes daunting trying to design something perfectly from the onset. Often I have found myself building something that works then going back and trying to find ways streamline things or implement design patterns. This to me is the beginning of what eventually becomes the bazaar. The idea that software is an evolution, the fact that it can never be perfected brings comfort.

I also found solace in the idea of code reuse. Starting with a partial solution and copying and pasting other code has always been my first reaction to a problem. I often say to myself, “I know I have written something like this”. I spend a few minutes tracking down the code and copying it over as a starting point. The reason I think this works so well for me is because it doesn’t bog down my thinking with syntactical detail which allows me to concentrate on the problem and adapting the code as a solution.

This leads to the concept that you don’t really understand a problem until you tried a least one solution. I have found this to be very true. I so often rewrite code, I think this fits with philosophy of just writing something that works. Trying to make something perfect on the first go is futile, much more is learned from rediscovering the problem and seeing it in a different light. That new light may put a lot of perfect code in the garbage which is why I gravitate to functionality over form a first. Once I see the patterns start to evolve in a solution that is when I start to tighten things up and start thinking about the big picture.

Lastly I would like to comment on the idea of smart data structures and dumb code. I have found this to be true as well. If you design the right classes and relationships code can become almost mundane. It often all falls down and ends up in a neat pile because if the structures are sound the other holes are easier to fill.

Well I think I have rambled on enough, let’s just say I found the article to be an interesting read with many truths.

Author: Nino D'Aversa

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