SCOUG-Programming Mailing List Archives

>> Next Message >>

Date:	Fri, 4 Apr 2003 07:21:24 PST8
From:	"Lynn H. Maxson" <lmaxson@pacbell.net >
Reply-To:	scoug-programming@scoug.com
To:	"SCOUG Programming SIG" <scoug-programming@scoug.com >
Subject:	SCOUG-Programming: Message Six

Content Type: text/plain

We have two tools, the editor and the compiler, to master.
After mastering them we will merge them into one. Merging
them into one means coming up with a single user interface, a
GUI, that will allow us to treat dozens of separate utility
functions as an integrate whole.

Now we have had some doubts raised about this approach
comparing it to using a Swiss army knife with a general
purpose blade against a filet knife to filet a fish:
"Well, at least we have moved the analogy to something
somewhat more accurate. I have a good collection of
Victronix, ToolLogic, Leatherman, etc.... Nothing like having a
bottle opener, can opener, corkscrew, AND a knife all in one
package. A Swiss Army Knife is great for a picnic, but a REAL
fillet knife is much better for cleaning fish."--Gregory W.
Smith.

Perhaps no better counter as to which knife one has in
multi-purpose software lies in Greg's Python coding example
where he offers solutions for multiple peg solitaire formations.
Perhaps when he reviews his source code with us, his Swiss
army knife of peg solitaire solutions, he will point out the
compromises he made in providing this general solution as
opposed to separate program solutions for each formation.

We should never lose sight of our focus on increasing
individual productivity. For the same level of output writing
(O) that means decreasing the individual input writing (I). The
total writing (T) equals the sum of O and I: T = O + I. The
productivity then becomes the ratio of T to I: T/I. Thus we
can increase producitivity in one of two ways: increase O or
decrease I.

According to our guideline, "let people do what software
cannot and software what people need not", we want to
minimize the clerical (non-creative) writing of the individual,
our I, and shift it to the software, our O. We also note that
whatever the difference in actual writing between I and O we
nevertheless maintain logical equivalency: nothing appears in
O not derivable from I. The software tool synchronizes this
equivalency in the automatic production of each output form.
It does this based strictly on I.

=====================================================

To unsubscribe from this list, send an email message
to "steward@scoug.com". In the body of the message,
put the command "unsubscribe scoug-programming".

For problems, contact the list owner at
"rollin@scoug.com".

=====================================================

Return to [ 04 | April | 2003 ]

SCOUG, Warp Expo West, and Warpfest are trademarks of the Southern California OS/2 User Group. OS/2, Workplace Shell, and IBM are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners.