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This article touches on it but I do find that there are different kinds of programmers. Generally, I find that an individual either likes to solve problems, i.e. write code that as obviously as possible gets the result they need OR they like to solve puzzles, i.e. write code that is the "best" way to do something and may not be obvious at all.

They generally have two different definitions of readability as well. The former thinks code is readable if it is obvious how it works and how to change it, that latter thinks it is readable if it happens to match how you would talk about it in english with no regard as to whether or not it is editable. Often the inability to edit (or even debug) stems from implicit magic vs explicit code.



I happen to agree with you, but I have probably interpreted your comment in exactly the opposite way to which it was intended!

I find explicit "do this to that element, then do the other, then put it here" style very hard to read and change.


That isn't really what I mean. I'm definitely OK with functional style collections and futures and the like. I'm annoyed with implicits, macros and other action at a distance language features that it make it hard to reason about something locally.




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