CBoard Community Project: Poll #1

[Wraithan]

I'd be interested in giving it a go if the first one wins, the others are I am not as interested and may or may not participate in (may just write unit tests for code as it is developed). As far as the language is concerned, I know I will be pretty much useless if it is mainly C, but if it is C++ I can get my hands dirty.

[Snafuist]

(may just write unit tests for code as it is developed)

This will make you a hero.

Besides, I consider untested code to be worthless with respect to production releases, and it's good to hear that I'm not the only one who likes unit tests.


As for the first choice, here's my current opinion: theoretically, it's pretty easy to implement a new language with all the parser/lexer generators available. The hard part is optimization, which reminds me of some nightmares involving static single assignment form, hot paths, dynamic runtime optimization, JIT compilation, flat binaries and so on.

IMO we should make a decision based on the abilities of the most unexperienced participant, not on the wishes of the most visionary.

That being said, I'm eager to actively participate in the winning project, whatever it may be.

Greets,
Philip

[Wraithan]

This will make you a hero.
Besides, I consider untested code to be worthless with respect to production releases, and it's good to hear that I'm not the only one who likes unit tests.

Not really that I like it, just that I am good at them. I have experience with white and black box testing and recognize the value of testing through the whole process.

IMO we should make a decision based on the abilities of the most unexperienced participant, not on the wishes of the most visionary.

There definitely needs to be a balance, but basing it off the person with the least skills who is volunteering is going to lead to a crappy project. We have varying skill levels and the best would be to have a project that was somewhere in the middle of them. So the folks with the lower skills have the opportunity to learn and the folks with the most skills are not bored and can mentor the more junior level participants.

[Snafuist]

There definitely needs to be a balance, but basing it off the person with the least skills who is volunteering is going to lead to a crappy project.

Being able to learn the necessary background information in time is also an ability. I just wanted to point out that it's probably a bad idea to start a project where most of us will first have to read three books and 20 papers in order to be able to talk about it, let alone implementing the stuff.

Things like e.g. dynamic runtime optimization will be much harder if you're already having trouble implementing SSSP algorithms for graphs.

I'm not saying that nobody should have to learn new things during the process. I just want to make sure that everyone will be able to catch up in time. If the project turns out to be too easy, it will be done quickly and we can soon advance to more complex topics.

Greets,
Philip

[MK27]

IMO we should make a decision based on the abilities of the most unexperienced participant, not on the wishes of the most visionary.

Tsk. Don't conflate skill w/ vision.

As someone who will certainly fall toward the bottom of the pile, I think you wizards should do want you want, but be willing to spend some time with us idiots. If you want to just put all your effort into producing piles of high quality code and ignore those beneath you, why partake in such a project (honestly)?

But I'm not worried. In the end, even if I can't contribute much, it will be at least nice to witness the mighty in motion, close up.

[brewbuck]

Tsk. Don't conflate skill w/ vision.

As someone who will certainly fall toward the bottom of the pile, I think you wizards should do want you want, but be willing to spend some time with us idiots. If you want to just put all your effort into producing piles of high quality code and ignore those beneath you, why partake in such a project (honestly)?

But I'm not worried. In the end, even if I can't contribute much, it will be at least nice to witness the mighty in motion, close up.

Well, we certainly don't want a small number of gurus showing off inside a jewel-encrusted glass box. What's the point of that?

Anyway... Nobody should knock their own abilities. I haven't met any successful programmers who weren't confident. As long as you recognize your own boundaries (which should constantly be expanding), you should feel good about doing what you know you can do well.

[Nailed]

Hi,

Can someone with absolutely no foundation/background in the art of programming be useful for this project?

I would like to be a part of this project and may be learn something with respect to programming and if possible also contribute may be to a lesser extent.

Any thoughts?