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1500 questions
54
votes
7 answers
Is there something wrong with how we're doing version control?
I work with a team of programmers as the business analyst. We just released version 2.0 of our product and are working on the next version to be released in 3 months (it's an internal software product). Unfortunately version 2.0 has some issues…
Ryan
- 1,095
54
votes
6 answers
Open source code with no license... can I fork it?
Years ago somebody created a bunch of really awesome and popular scripts. But they were not updated for a long, now they no-longer work (target platform were updated, and some changes are needed).
He hasn't released it under any license. I want to…
Abhi Beckert
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54
votes
2 answers
Why is 'void' not allowed as a generic type in C#
What were the design decisions that argued in favour of void not being constructable and not being allowed as a generic type? After all it is just a special empty struct and would have avoided the total PITA of having distinct Func and Action…
user23157
54
votes
11 answers
Were the first assemblers written in machine code?
I am reading the book The Elements of Computing Systems: Building a Modern Computer from First Principles, which contains projects encompassing the build of a computer from boolean gates all the way to high level applications (in that order). The…
The111
- 713
54
votes
9 answers
Why is it impossible to produce truly random numbers?
I was trying to solve a hobby problem that required generating a million random numbers. But I quickly realized, it is becoming difficult to make them unique. I picked up Algorithm Design Manual to read about random number generation.
It has the…
Vinoth Kumar C M
- 15,565
54
votes
7 answers
SQL Triggers and when or when not to use them.
When I was originally learning about SQL I was always told, only use triggers if you really need to and opt to use stored procedures instead if possible.
Now unfortunately at the time (a good few years ago) I wasn't as curious and caring about…
nyxthulhu
- 651
54
votes
3 answers
What is the origin and meaning of the phrase “Lambda the ultimate?”
I've been messing around with functional programming languages for a few years, and I keep encountering this phrase. For example, it is a chapter of "The Little Schemer, which certainly predates the blog by this name. (No, the chapter doesn't help…
Eric Wilson
- 12,071
54
votes
4 answers
What does the 'cyclomatic complexity' of my code mean?
I am new to static analysis of code. My application has a Cyclomatic complexity of 17,754. The application itself is only 37,672 lines of code. Is it valid to say that the complexity is high based on the lines of code? What exactly is the Cyclomatic…
AngryBird
- 1,805
53
votes
10 answers
What's a schrödinbug?
This wiki page tells :
A schrödinbug is a bug that manifests only after someone reading
source code or using the program in an unusual way notices that it
never should have worked in the first place, at which point the
program promptly stops…
Pacerier
- 4,993
53
votes
13 answers
Is it necessary to create a database with as few tables as possible
Should we create a database structure with a minimum number of tables?
Should it be designed in a way that everything stays in one place or is it okay to have more tables?
Will it in anyway affect anything?
I am asking this question because a…
Shaheer
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53
votes
2 answers
What did Alan Kay mean by "assignment" in The Early History of Smalltalk?
I have been reading The Early History of Smalltalk and there are a few mentions of "assignment" which make me question my understanding of its meaning:
Though OOP came from many motivations, two were central. The large scale one was to find a…
Olivier Dagenais
- 633
53
votes
2 answers
Checklist for starting an open-source project
To start an open-source project is not just to throw up the source code on some public repository and then being happy with that. You should have technical (besides user) documentation, information on how to contribute etc.
If creating a checklist…
Anto
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53
votes
9 answers
When do you know it's time to move on from your current job?
Have you ever reached a point at your job when you just know it's time to move on?
When do you move to the point that you're willing to let go of the demons you know for the ones you don't know?
What was your deciding factor final straw so to…
Tyanna
- 9,528
53
votes
10 answers
How should I test "Glue Functions" without testing that "the code I wrote is the code I wrote"?
I usually write my code in a test driven style. I write tests as specifications and then my code. It's great and useful.
I always try to ignore implementation when testing and only test behaviour. I don't care how it gets done, just that it got…
Derek C.
- 617
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53
votes
7 answers
Is it a bad design for a programming language to allow spaces in identifiers?
Some (link 1, link 2) programming languages allow spaces in their identifiers (e.g. variables, procedures) but most of them don't and instead programmers usually use camel case, snake case and other ways to separate words in names.
To support spaces…
user7393973
- 501