Few notes of wisdom for programmers

Some of the notes I took while reading Pragmatic Programmer -

1. The Cat Ate My Source Code: Provide Options. Don't make lame excuses.

Take Responsibility. Do think while taking responsibilities and accept it. Don't take responsibilities without thinking over them. When you make an error or misjudge then admit it honestly. Don't blame someone or something else or make an excuse. Don't blame all the problems on the vendor, a programming language, management or your coworkers. Any and all of these may play a role but it is you to provide solutions and not problems.

Before you approach anyone to tell why something can't be done, is late or broken, stop and listen to yourself. Talk to the rubber duck on your monitor, or a cat. Does it sound reasonable or stupid? How is it going to sound to your boss?

As yourself questions like "Have you tried this...", "Did you consider this.." and provide options. Before you tell them, is there anything else that you can try? Sometimes, you just "know" what they are going to say, so why give them trouble.

2. Software Entropy: Don't live with broken windows.

Take into account "The Broken Window Theory" to fix any broken window (bad design, poor code or wrong decision) as soon as they are discovered. Theory says that any prestinely beautiful code is clean only till there are absolutely no broken windows. If there is a small design mistake, that makes it easy for others to checkin some more mistakes. So identify and remove that crappy piece of code there, which all of you stare at with anguish, ASAP.

3. Be a catalyst for change. Fight the "startup fatigue".

4. Remember the big picture. Have an eye over the changes happening to the software (not only your changes).

5. Make Quality a requirements issue.

It is sometimes very useful to review what you wrote.