From:	Eric S. Hall esh7695@******.sdsmt.edu
Subject:	[semi-OT] programming languages' evolution
Date:	Mon, 01 Feb 1999 22:20:34 -0700

My take on the whole documentation issue is that its really a moot point
as far as Shadowrun goes anyway <ducks carp from the programmers in the
audience>.

A couple of reasons for this:

a.) Programmers must be taught (or beaten into submission) to document
this well. This happens when compsci profs deduct major points for poor
documentation, or when they get real jobs and find out that they either
document or piss a lot of people off and have to find another job.

b.) Shadowrunner deckers generally don't have real jobs. My take is that
the majority of them are more akin to hackers than software engineers.
They write their code and tinker with it until it works. There are
exceptions of course, but most of them are this type:
"It's my code; I know what I'm trying to do. If nobody else can read it
so what? That way they won't try to steal my warez."

Doubtless there are exceptions, but (IMNSHO) they are few and far
between.

Eric
esh7695@******.sdsmt.edu