Look this isn’t at all a defense of slop code, but it has me thinking — how much does code quality matter, and why?
It’s maintenance, right? We care about readability because we know we’ll have to make changes, fix bugs, etc.
But so … imagine a codebase that’s magically bug-free and feature-complete. (I’m aware this is a strawman - that’s the point, it’s a thought experiment.) Does it matter if this codebase is well-written? I’m not sure it does! (1/5)
@jacob "If the roof stays up and the floor is dry, does the build quality of my house matter?"
Yes. Yes, it does.
@jacob The view from the top of the mountain is great -- but it feels better (more "accomplishment") if you get there on foot instead of a chair-lift or helicopter.
I at least put non-zero value on "the process" and the methods used. I don't necessarily have a great way to articulate this feeling right now.
In climbing, one may "climb a climb" on toprope, on lead or even free-soloing. These come with different intrinsic rewards, even if the end-point is the same ("alive, and on top").
@jacob Yes, there's no absolute scale here. Someone finishing something important to them is no less "deserving" of feeling accomplishment.
I'm not sure why I went to "physical" examples, but this applies to lots of areas. I should have kept it about 'craft' (in the widest possible sense) I guess
I do believe that people will feel _less_ "accomplishment" if the thing wasn't "hard" (for them!) though. (That is, climbing the stairs can be just as much an accomplishment as any mountain)
jacobian
meejah