Gotta love pointers

Pointers. I *love* them. The one thing missing in Java if you ask me. That's all I am willing to say on the matter right now. Pointer manipulation and pointer arithmetic rox.

Spent some time going through some friends blogs recently in depth. A few things jump out at me that I feel compelled to want to respond. I have tried to NOT respond, as I am SURE I am going to get in trouble for this, but in the end hopefully calmer heads will prevail and people will understand what I am getting at. If not, I apologize in advance... I mean no offense, but wish you guys/gals would consider the impact of the pen..er.. electron. I will keep names out of this to protect the innocent, as well as the NOT so innocent. Well... lets get started:

• Documentation. Comments. There are ESSENTIAL in good programming structure. Not because you may be to lazy to make the effort to refactor/change documentation as you change functions, but because others need to understand your code. And I quote from the blog:
  

  
  
  So why write pages of documentation or comments? 
  
  It's easier to keep the code current the documentation up to date.

  I'll tell you why. Because in two years from now when people try to read your code, they need to understand what the hell you are doing in a reasonable time. This individual should know better.. since I personally just had to go THROUGH his code which is over a year old... and because he DIDN'T properly comment in crucial areas, we ended up having to write some code FROM SCRATCH because it was FASTER than trying to understand how this impacted external processes. Your 10 minutes of documentation now will save hours or days in lost productivity trying to figure out what you are trying to accomplish. And during the refactoring process, others may know BETTER ways to accomplishing the same task. If its properly documented, they can learn from your work, and make it better. You may want to read Eric S. Raymonds Software Release Practice HOWTO. A relevant section would be around here about documentation. You very much could document code in a way to strip out usable docs, such as with PerlDOC and JavaDOC. Another good reference I have bookmarked is over at RedHat about comments in code. I like the quote from Nagler:
  

  If your program isn't worth documenting, it probably isn't worth running.
  
  - Nagler, 1995
  
  

• Blogs as cryptic traversal engines for emotions are bad. (And we all do it, /me is just as much a guilty party) Those involved know what I mean. The best thing to do when a friend is having some of the most difficult times in his life making life-changing decisions is to let him make it, and support whatever decisions he makes. If you are truely his friend the use of guilt, sadness or anger as reflected in a blog is actually COUNTER PRODUCTIVE to the issue at hand. And actually, isn't helping as a friend.. but harming it. Sometimes the pen, although mightier than the sword is a toothpick to the damage electrons can do when wielded like a heavy ax. All you do is chop off your own limb, getting all sweaty and accomplish very little except to ANGER and perplex others... and make their decision even harder. Respect your friend's complex position and the anguish he would be going through trying to make the right choice for himself.... don't hinder it with your blog. Even though your intentions were sound, the method may not be. Pick up the phone, and be a listening board and allow him to make his own decisions. Remember, you may have been in a similar boat, and think about the emotional rollercoaster you went through. Now reflect on everything that happened over the last week. Not to pretty, is it?
  
• Until you REALLY know a person, don't judge him from what you THINK is going on. Asking him. COMMUNICATE. Getting vexed and creating your own position on something is quite futile, except to make your own emotions reflect off to others. Use of blame and anger is typically fruitless, especially when you have NO CLUE what the HELL you are saying. And don't forget, your actions sometimes do get back to the original party.

  Cryptical Note #24 to old employees of mine.... perhaps you should truely explain to your significant others how much I truely cared for each and every one of you, and how much I tried to do everything I could for you. If you don't yourself believe that, perhaps you should ask others that DO have a clue. *sigh*. Even now, I do actually care about you, and your well being. Even if you have "contrary opinions" of me in this manner.
  

Please, please people. Close that new email you started, stop the angered response, and think for a moment what I am trying to say. Calm down and think about it. Now, if you feel you just HAVE to respond, (and you believe I am talking about you or someone close to you), feel free to drop me aline. Actually, you are ALWAYS welcome to drop me aline. Especially if you worked with me in the past. I would love to know how you are doing. Oh and Tim... I have a spare room, you are always welcome to come to Canada and stay with me for a while.