Comments on: Beware the mechanical coder, my son… http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/ Robert's Rambling Ruminations Regarding Reality Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:02:46 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Robert Watkins http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Robert Watkins Mon, 21 Feb 2005 14:21:49 +0000 http://twasink.net/wp/?p=110#comment-102 Ah, but the first one indicates a greater degree of cluelessness, and that's what I'm finding offensive. The second one, of course, is the greater problem. Ah, but the first one indicates a greater degree of cluelessness, and that’s what I’m finding offensive.

The second one, of course, is the greater problem.

]]> By: Michael http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-101 Michael Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:45:19 +0000 http://twasink.net/wp/?p=110#comment-101 But it is the second one with serious real world implications. But fixing the second one will require a lot more testing then the first. But it is the second one with serious real world implications.

But fixing the second one will require a lot more testing then the first.

]]> By: Robert Watkins http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Robert Watkins Mon, 21 Feb 2005 11:59:46 +0000 http://twasink.net/wp/?p=110#comment-100 Probably the first one. That's a basic Java issue, whereas the "fetch IDs and delete one-by-one" is one step further up. To answer Charles: the string appends isn't a problem. As can be clearly seen, all the strings are constant; the compiler will simply run them together at compile time (a standard optimisation technique). Probably the first one. That’s a basic Java issue, whereas the “fetch IDs and delete one-by-one” is one step further up.

To answer Charles: the string appends isn’t a problem. As can be clearly seen, all the strings are constant; the compiler will simply run them together at compile time (a standard optimisation technique).

]]> By: Michael http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Michael Sat, 19 Feb 2005 21:14:36 +0000 http://twasink.net/wp/?p=110#comment-99 But which one offends you more? The mindless use of StringBuffer (probably cause someone told them that if you are building up strings, ALWAYS use a string buffer. If I had a doller for everytime...) OR The n+1? But which one offends you more? The mindless use of StringBuffer (probably cause someone told them that if you are building up strings, ALWAYS use a string buffer. If I had a doller for everytime…)

OR

The n+1?

]]> By: Charles http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-98 Charles Sat, 19 Feb 2005 05:10:53 +0000 http://twasink.net/wp/?p=110#comment-98 The problem with the first one is clearly that he uses the stringbuffer, ostensibly for performance reasons but then uses string concatenation anyways instead of calling .append() The problem with the first one is clearly that he uses the stringbuffer, ostensibly for performance reasons but then uses string concatenation anyways instead of calling .append()

]]> By: Robert Watkins http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-97 Robert Watkins Fri, 18 Feb 2005 18:44:47 +0000 http://twasink.net/wp/?p=110#comment-97 Yes, as you say, it uses a StringBuffer when not needed; the template, BTW, comes from a dynamically constructed query elsewhere in the class. The problem with the latter is that it does a query to get back the IDs, then iterates through the list and brings them back one at a time. Thus, you get N+1 database calls, instead of just 1. The problem with all of it is that the person who wrote it just mechanically copied something else rather than understand it. Yes, as you say, it uses a StringBuffer when not needed; the template, BTW, comes from a dynamically constructed query elsewhere in the class.

The problem with the latter is that it does a query to get back the IDs, then iterates through the list and brings them back one at a time. Thus, you get N+1 database calls, instead of just 1.

The problem with all of it is that the person who wrote it just mechanically copied something else rather than understand it.

]]> By: Niels http://twasink.net/blog/2005/02/beware-the-mechanical-coder-my-son/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Niels Fri, 18 Feb 2005 18:36:30 +0000 http://twasink.net/wp/?p=110#comment-96 The only problem I see in the first fragment is that it uses a StringBuffer instead of a plain String. The concatenation will be handled at compiletime anyway. Not beign hibernate-savvy, I won't comment on the second fragment. The only problem I see in the first fragment is that it uses a StringBuffer instead of a plain String. The concatenation will be handled at compiletime anyway.

Not beign hibernate-savvy, I won’t comment on the second fragment.

]]>