Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

[droope]

Hi.

The other day this issue came to me, while travelling.


How would one judge who is the best programmer? By what? Skills, number of programmes, how his programmes are made?

Sounds like an easy-to-answer question, but really, it isn't...

Cheers,
Droope

[Oakems]

This is very hard to get a definitive answer, because there are so many variables. Like, how fast they are at programming, how many languages do they know, how accurate are they, how efficient are they, what kind of programming they do, experience, problem solving when things go wrong, etc etc.

I would say it's a mixture of all of these and the examples you give.

I wouldn't say necessarily it has anything to do with how many programs they've written, because they may have written a lot, but they might not be any good. Also some programs are written with more than one programmer. Who would be the best out of those? The one who has written the most? Or the one who worked hardest? (two very different things).

This of course is not taking into account, Style. With programming any one thing can be achieved in many ways, some solutions will seem more elegant to you, where others would disagree (and have their reasons for this).

The best way to explain this would be to pick two similar programs... actually two similar web pages. Look at the source for each and see how they differ. Is one smaller than the other? Does one seem more complex? Is this a good thing? It's hard to say when they both do the same thing. The person writing the simpler web page may get through 10 a day (random number). The person writing the more complex web page maybe only does 5, but what this person is writing is harder to code. What does this mean? Maybe the more complex web page is more secure? But maybe it's a waste of time and with more experience that programmer would know this.

I'll see if I can find any examples of what I'm talking about, actually I have an analogy. Tennis, who's the best player? Okay now take into consideration different court types, some players are better on grass, others, clay. So now the question becomes; who's the best player on such a such a court? (It gets even more complicated if you use football, instead of tennis).

[ecomoney]

[Gorilla no baka]

[big_bass]

that's easy to answer

look at the pictures who is the best

[Oakems]

[droope]

Thank you for your answers!

[hillside]

[Lobster]

This reminds me of the Sufi story of the best cow in the world
It produced the best milk in the world.
However it also always kicked the pail of best milk over . . .

I would also suggest it is similar to the question of 'how long is a piece of string'. The answer to that is mostly 3 inches.
Anything less than 3 inches is a strand and all string of any length is also 3 inches long . . .

So the answer is can the programmer produce the milk for others to drink?

Producing an incredible program that no one likes or uses is
not uncommon . . .

Why did you ask this?

[Bruce B]

Lobster,

That was a most amazing piece of literature. You made a
believer of me. Thanks.

Bruce

[Bruce B]

big_bass,

The two pictures communicate very well.

I have a mouse trapping pet cat. She's a good hunter,
carnivore and predator. And like her kind, she brings me
her little gifts. Sometimes dropping them at my feet.

In any event, she likes the game and goes for the slow kill.
Turn it loose and catch it again. But sometimes the rat
gets away.

I don't like the game and I don't appreciate her letting
rats get away in the house.

I understand the kindest way to kill a rat is to drown it. So
I prepare a disposible container with enough water and get
the rat from her and drop it in the container.

Bruce

[trapster]

Most of my pests (rodents) die of lead poisoning

[droope]

[technosaurus]

If I were voting I would have to say Fabrice Bellard - quite a range and very efficient code

http://bellard.org/

[amigo]

I'll second you technosaurus -quite an amazing talent that Fabrice...