

My Code or Someone Else's Code? - jeffspost
http://lookatsoftware.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-code-or-someone-elses-code.html

======
sophacles
I really enjoy looking at other people's code. I also enjoy them working on
mine. I tend to approach the situation as "I can make it better". Sometimes
I'm just blown away by what is there. Most of the time however fresh eyes are
good, and I can refactor it prettier, or add edge case handling or whatnot.

I also find maintaining my own code boring. In my head, I've already done all
the interesting bits. Letting someone else work on it, then bring it back to
me makes it interesting again, because it turns on all sorts of new ideas
based on what the other person discovered (and I missed).

In general the best code I've ever been part of has included passing code
around the group. Ownership of modules was shared by at least 2 people, and
everyone had input on it. Unfortunately this gets ruined frequently by the
type of dev that thinks my changes to his code are an insult ("it was working
just fine before, now its all weird, I don't know what you did" where before
means before the spec changed).

~~~
OperaLover
I think that your ability to keep the ego out of the picture can convert
(potentially fractious) collaboration into the best kind of continuing ed.
Bravo!

~~~
HoneyAndSilicon
Yeah, that's hard for me: not to be defensive; always to remember i _am_ a
continuing student (and that that's a _good_ thing).

------
keltex
This 200 word blog post made it to page 1?

~~~
ramchip
Concision is good.

