Programming is full of these. Every day I see some new technique or style appear. Is it any good? We've got easier access to the biggest collection of free source code, the biggest and most diverse set of programmers, and the fastest automated testing of all time. Just do an experiment. You don't need to sell me on how cool it is. Show me how it's better.
- Does it lead to smaller programs? Don't show me a 10-line example. (I've heard medical researchers say: "Anyone can cure cancer in mice.") Convert a 10,000- or 100,000-line program.
- Does it lead to humans writing fewer bugs? Have a bunch of them try it, and measure their speed and defect rates. Everyone has designed a system that they themselves love, and nobody else can understand.
If you promote a new method which is logically equivalent to old ones, and not obviously much better, and without any data showing specific metrics that it improves, I'm forced to assume your metric is simply "I happen to like it better". Experimentation is cool, but it doesn't cause lasting long-term shifts.
- Does it lead to smaller programs? Don't show me a 10-line example. (I've heard medical researchers say: "Anyone can cure cancer in mice.") Convert a 10,000- or 100,000-line program.
- Does it lead to humans writing fewer bugs? Have a bunch of them try it, and measure their speed and defect rates. Everyone has designed a system that they themselves love, and nobody else can understand.
If you promote a new method which is logically equivalent to old ones, and not obviously much better, and without any data showing specific metrics that it improves, I'm forced to assume your metric is simply "I happen to like it better". Experimentation is cool, but it doesn't cause lasting long-term shifts.