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From: dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar)
Subject: Re: general-purpose vs. domain-specific programming languages
Date: 1998/01/16
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Date: 1998-01-16T00:00:00+00:00
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Randal said

<<That's only when we're in "code to impress" mode.  When I'm being paid
by a client to write stuff that has to be maintained long after I'm
gone, I stick with the basics.
>>

What an amazing idea, that one could impress someone by writing
unreadable code!

I always tell my students that if you ever write a bit of code, and
look at it and think "how clever", then that is a big red flag!

Good programmers impress with simple, easy to understand code.

Ok, OK, I realize that the original should probably have had a smiley,
but the principle that clever code is dangerous code is an important one :-)