Standards (was Re: indentation: enough already!)

[Michael Burgett]

In article <3245 at ingr.com.> crossgl at ingr.UUCP (Gordon Cross) writes:
[ reference to DOD STD 2167 deleted.... ]
>>So it would seem that for many of us (especially those who work for
>>government contractors), coding standards are there and will not go away.
>
>Well, well.  At last I've learned something new!!  I wonder how many MILLIONS
>OF DOLLARS (of your money as well as mine) the government is spending on this
>stuff.  Think about the savings if the government would just keep their hands
>out of the pot and let the defense contractors deliver the finished product!!
>What should they care so long as it works??!!!  As an end user of something
>like "ksh", I couldn't care less about the style of the source code because
>the program works.  No wonder no one can balance the budget:  it would most
>likely cost more than the deficit is to balance it!! (typical bureaucratic
>mentality)
>
Sorry, I just can't let this pass...

 As a (very happily) former employee of a company that did ONLY government
contracts, it's obvious that you don't know the first thing about this
field, nor have you given the area any thought.

  A government project has to be coded to standards set by the government so
that when it is code reviewed (by government QA types) it can be easily read 
and understood, even if the people who coded it are no longer responsible for
the project (quit, fired, defected, abscounded to argentina, take your pick)
But that's right, why should they care as long as it works.... Gee, let's see
if we carry that philosophy over to the software that controls the detection
of enemy missle launches and our retalitory launches... hmmm. I guess you'd 
like to leave that in the hands (unchecked) of the contractor that got
picked for the job??  Also the defense contractors would love to go your
route, cause some of the unscrupulous ones (those fine pillers of society :-))
might actually be tempted to code an initial project in such a way that might
make it real tough to award the maintenance contract on the software to some-
one else....

Sorry Gordon, but you *really* need to rethink your position on this, instead
of just foaming at the mouth at the mention of coding standards that *you*
feel take away from your precious creativity.  For me the design is the 
creative part, how the code is formatted is actually in the noise.... (although
I *do* admit to having a personal style that I use in the lack of project
standards)

#include <standard_disclaimer.h>



		----------------------------------
			mike burgett
		     burgett at adobe.com
	   "squid and read bean stew served daily...."