On: The Design of Software is a Thing Apart

[hinkley]

Probably four times a year I find out that defending my bad decision in writing takes more energy than fixing it.

You start saying you did X because of Y, and Y is weird because of Z, and so X is the way it is because you can’t change Z... hold on. Why can’t I change Z? I can totally change Z.

Documentation is just the rubber duck trick, but in writing and without looking like a crazy person.

[taneq → hinkley]

I do the same. If I'm finding it too hard to describe what I'm trying to achieve in a one-liner comment, I'm probably doing something wrong.

Also, writing it down lets someone else, later, take the role of the duck and benefit from your explanation to yourself.