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                    JOURNAL FOR SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY, 2016
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SUBJECT: Work and play
   DATE: Sat  6 Feb 19:53:31 GMT 2016

Since last time I have been thinking about typed pointers a lot and doing a
lot of little experiments. The question I am trying to answer is: Should
attribute finders return an untyped nil or a typed nil?

Why the delay, dithering and dallying? Shouldn't the answer be simple and
obvious? Get on and code already!

I program a lot. It pays the bills and feeds the family. I program even more
in my own time for fun and challenges. The boundaries can blur and the two can
merge. But they are still very different kinds of programming.


  "Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a
  violent psychopath who knows where you live."


Programming for work is getting a job done. Nearly nobody cares how, they
don't have to look behind the curtain. If everything seems to work that's good
enough. I try my best to always do a good job - a few clients appreciate it.

*sigh*

Programming on my own time, on WolfMUD, I can take as long as I like. I can
try things, experiment, learn and do things right - at least as I see it.
Afterwards my humble efforts are put out there for all to see. This doesn't
bother me. Have a problem with my code? Found a bug or have a better way of
doing something? Please tell me, criticise me and educate me. If you don't
I'll remain ignorant of the issues.

People do look at the WolfMUD code. Some try to learn from it and use it as a
fun vehicle for their own studies and experiments. It is these people that
cause me to ponder and be careful. It is these people who I care about the
most. It is these people who I don't want to mislead or misinform. It is these
people who take the time to work with my code that I feel a responsibility
for. I want to help them as much as I can. If you email me - I will answer.

It is for these reasons I will continue to take as long as needed, to dither
and dally, ponder and reason, until I have reached my own conclusions and I am
satisfied with my results.

Now, if you don't mind, I have some serious cogitating to get back to...

--
Diddymus


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