Re: The Last Word on Comments (was Re: Hungarian notation)

[Steve Howard <howard@mtm.syr.ge.com>]

Mike Fulton wrote:

> Why don't schools design projects/labs that build upon themselves.  Every one
> of my projects could have been done without doing the preceding projects.
> When we implemented Abstract Data Types (ADT), they gave us the .def files and
> told use how to use the procedures.  Why not have us build those
> implementation modules first.  Start with what the language gives you and then
> extend it.  Create an ADT from the ground up.  Then have us use the ADT we
> made to implement other ADT by layering them over our first ones.  After we
> build enough structures and routines, have us use them to create a real
> project.  Something that would be difficult to build from scratch, but
> moderately easy using OUR tools.  This would truely show us the value of
> starting with good data structures.  And it would force us to write readable
> code and use good commenting, since you have to use today's code 1 or 2 months
> later, or even next quarter.
> 

I was going to respond in very much the same way. I think this 
progressive single project format would be much more valuable 
than a set of disjoint small projects.

One addition (for an intro to programming type of class) would 
be to throw in some maintenance-type programming towards the 
end. The instructor could supply some code that doesn't work 
right and ask the student to fix and/or extend the code. 
Sprinkled lightly with incorrect comments, unclear interfaces 
and data structures, etc., this would be a good introduction to 
what programming in the real world is like. 
-- 
E. Steve Howard                | Lockheed Martin
                               | Ocean, Radar, & Sensor Systems        
mailto:howard@mtm.syr.ge.com   | Syracuse, NY