Software Best Practices

I have encountered the same conversation during code reviews a number of times and suspect I may not be alone in this. The abridged version of the conversation starts something like: Colin: "You've done some good work implementing a complicated piece of code, well done. The XYZ function though...

[quote user="Susan"]I think it is next to impossible to create beautiful code without a beautiful design.[/quote] I thought about this one overnight before coming up with my considered reply: Hooey. This conflates construction and design. It is more than possible to have a beautiful function...

I thought I'd ask this here, since it's more about code construction than it is about testing. Does anyone have any helpful things to say about Peer Code Reviews. We currently have them but they are not very effective. Any helpful hints, or references to useful articles or books would be welcome...

We've found that several forms of code analysis are useful. Metrics analyzers (such as Understand for C++ or SourceMonitor ) are helpful for understanding the overall complexity, comment level, function sizing, etc. metrics. These are helpful if you want to provide team members on guidance about...

I find it interesting that the 'construction' forum has the fewest posts. How can that be, when it is the one thing we are guaranteed to have in common? All sexy processes aside, there is no way to avoid constructing the code. Too often I have worked with groups that proselytize new methods and...

Automated builds provide a foundation for software development. It is often one of the few practices those of differing methodological persuasions can agree upon. This thread is a place to share experiences with automated builds and to learn what others are doing. Please move philosophical discussions...