[Boulder.pm] Academic vs Production Code

Walter Pienciak wpiencia at thunderdome.ieee.org
Mon Aug 27 07:50:16 PDT 2012


On Thu, Aug 23, 2012 at 02:01:27PM -0700, Ed Dow wrote:
> Walter -- very interesting thoughts on academic vs production
> code.  In some ways it seems like it should be opposite. 
> Academia should be a place where you strive to put in long
> hours and thought into your work.  The real world, the evil
> exists, production is where after looking and pondering over
> code which will be used once and thrown away (sometimes), seems
> more like a time for minimal effort and get back to the more
> important things like drinking or theology which ever comes
> first.   ;-) 

My thoughts on this came from observation of programmers straight
from school, and in trying to reconcile the work of admittedly
bright programmers but new to the workforce with that of seasoned
pros.

It seems to me that while in school, the focus is on the ability
to break down a complex problem into workable fragments, to learn
new algorithmic process or data structures, to become familiar
with functions and tricky uses of ... etc.

Academic code seems barebones, with the logic and working of the
program evident.  Think of the examples in most textbooks.

Production code has acknowledgment of "shit that happens."  Full
disks, data input outside expected parameters, trying to open
nonexistent files, etc.  This the realm of Rob's comments, IMO.

So that's the sense in which I use "academic" and "production"
code.

It's pouring -- POURING -- rain here in CNJ this morning.  (I'm
working at the main facility this week.)

Walter


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