Source-code file size? [Poll]

[Devil Panther]

Hello,

I'm conducting a short survey from which, hopefully, we can all learn something about our nature as software developers.

1) In your opinion, what is an exceptional number of lines (including comments) that a source-code file should contain?

2) From your experience, how many lines of code (including comments) do you have in average in your source-code files?

3) From your experience, when do you encounter a situation in which you have to work with large source-code files?
Under what category do you place those file? (Coroprate, Private, Open-Source)
How large do they get?
How often do you encounter such files?


Thank you for your time.

[Mario F.]

I don't think you can learn anything about "our nature as software developers" from this. How about asking such things as:

- Do you try to study an interpret known algorithms, or do you prefer to simply apply them to your needs? Or, do you like to get into the innards of problem solving, or prefer to resuse existing solutions without wasting time on the details?

- Do you try to extend any existing code requirements to other areas, or do you prefer to "do as you are asked".

- How do you feel about code maintainability? Do you still worry about it, if it is not a primary concern for your project? Do you try to identify possible scenarios, or you prefer to adopt an ad-hoc approach to it? Do you actively promote it, no matter what?

- What's your view in the face of a Good Coding Practice conflicting with your current deadlines? How do you tackle this problem?

- What do you think you enjoy the most, the act of coding towards a goal, or reaching that goal? Or, what you think gives you more pleasure, developing an application, or finishing the development of an application?

- How do you feel about learning new programming languages? How do you feel about coding in other programming languages? How do you feel about using a programming language you don't like?

These and many others are probably more appropriate.
But the size of a source file?.. Gettoutahere! (and that is also an answer to your survey)

[Devil Panther]

I don't think you can learn anything about "our nature as software developers" from this. How about asking such things as:

- Do you try to study an interpret known algorithms, or do you prefer to simply apply them to your needs? Or, do you like to get into the innards of problem solving, or prefer to resuse existing solutions without wasting time on the details?

- Do you try to extend any existing code requirements to other areas, or do you prefer to "do as you are asked".

- How do you feel about code maintainability? Do you still worry about it, if it is not a primary concern for your project? Do you try to identify possible scenarios, or you prefer to adopt an ad-hoc approach to it? Do you actively promote it, no matter what?

- What's your view in the face of a Good Coding Practice conflicting with your current deadlines? How do you tackle this problem?

- What do you think you enjoy the most, the act of coding towards a goal, or reaching that goal? Or, what you think gives you more pleasure, developing an application, or finishing the development of an application?

- How do you feel about learning new programming languages? How do you feel about coding in other programming languages? How do you feel about using a programming language you don't like?

These and many others are probably more appropriate.
But the size of a source file?.. Gettoutahere! (and that is also an answer to your survey)

Thank you for your advice, but my questions are only a small part in a larger study I conduct.
So unless you wish to answer, shut up and stop wasting posts!

[MK27]

Thank you for your advice, but my questions are only a small part in a larger study I conduct.
So unless you wish to answer, shut up and stop wasting posts!

Not unless you give us a 1 in 10 chance of an amazon gift certificate

In all honesty, if this is part of a larger, serious study, you should be doing a private anonymous survey. Like set up a simple web site and then just post the address here with an explanation.

People will take you more seriously if you make some effort to be taken as so.

[Devil Panther]

Not unless you give us a 1 in 10 chance of an amazon gift certificate

LOL, maybe on xmas

[anon]

1) In your opinion, what is an exceptional number of lines (including comments) that a source-code file should contain?

I strive for 13 or 666 if possible.

[MK27]

LOL, maybe on xmas

Alright. Make sure you read my edit to that post tho, I'm not kidding -- not because I'm a jerk, but because if someone is grading this, they will SLAM YOUR METHOD. BADLY.

ps. I'm not a professional, which I assume that is who you were polling. Otherwise I ditto anon

[Mario F.]

So unless you wish to answer, shut up and stop wasting posts!

But I did answer.

EDIT: Btw, don't you love it when "short surveys" (vide OP) suddenly become parts of larger studies (vide third post) when confronted with the ridicule of being short and inutile?

[laserlight]

1) In your opinion, what is an exceptional number of lines (including comments) that a source-code file should contain?

That question sounds strange since you ask about something "exceptional" yet imply that a source file "should" have that property.

[abachler]

Thank you for your advice, but my questions are only a small part in a larger study I conduct.
So unless you wish to answer, shut up and stop wasting posts!

Oh look its a

[SlyMaelstrom]

When are we going to start enforcing the "Search before you make new threads" rule?

[abachler]

When are we going to start enforcing the "Search before you make new threads" rule?

Gimme sysop powaz and ill enforce it

Actually I think you would have to code that into the php. Anyone with fewer than say 200 posts cannot create a new thread until they read at least 3 of the threads returned on a search of the proposed title.

[MK27]

In all honesty, if this is part of a larger, serious study, you should be doing a private anonymous survey. Like set up a simple web site and then just post the address here with an explanation.

People will take you more seriously if you make some effort to be taken as so.

@Devil Panther: Do you believe me yet?

[Devil Panther]

@Devil Panther: Do you believe me yet?

Yeah I see what you mean... I thought I'm dealing with serious people here, I guess I was wrong, I blame Mario for messing it up. :P