Topic: Old-school programming techniques - article link for our "nostalgic" programmers (Read 1603 times)

Nemesis · « **on:** April 30, 2009, 08:50:31 am »

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April 29, 2009 (Computerworld) Despite its complexity, the software development process has gotten better over the years. "Mature" programmers remember how many things required manual intervention and hand-tuning back in the day. Today's software development tools automatically perform complex functions that programmers once had to write explicitly. And most developers are glad of it!

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Go To and spaghetti code ...

... or really, any programming methodology before structured programming and object-oriented development came along -- except only prissy academics used words like "methodology" back then, and most of us didn't have a college degree.

In many early programming languages, the application flow was controlled by instructions like GOTO 10, whereupon the code would jump to Label 10, which might or might not appear between 9 and 11, and continue execution. It was frighteningly easy to jump over and into code, creating a Gordian knot of executable code that became a maintenance migraine, giving rise to the pejorative term "spaghetti code."

Sirgod · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2009, 09:27:43 am »

LOL, that second quote has Dilbert written all over it.

Stephen

marstone · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2009, 09:33:43 am »

ahh. I loved my goto statement.

Sirgod · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2009, 10:00:00 am »

Was that yours marstone? I didn't PEEK at the link, I might have to go POKE around there now.

Stephen

marstone · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2009, 10:08:02 am »

Quote from: Sirgod on April 30, 2009, 10:00:00 am

Was that yours marstone? I didn't PEEK at the link, I might have to go POKE around there now.

Stephen

No wasn't my post to start with, just remembering the old days of programming in 32 and 64k. Fun basic with lots of goto's and some gosubs.

marstone · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2009, 10:09:11 am »

Quote from: Sirgod on April 30, 2009, 10:00:00 am

Was that yours marstone? I didn't PEEK at the link, I might have to go POKE around there now.

Stephen

LOL, to think I actually missed the PEEK and POKE the first time I looked at the message.

Sirgod · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2009, 11:00:52 am »

Haha, figured you would catch that.

I can remember being a studious youth, having saved all my change to pay for half of a C-64. Hours work typing on there odd keyboard, Peek and Poke to get the sprites just right, and lo and behold...

I made a hot air balloon float across my TV. That day I thought I could do anything, then I picked up a book about machine code.

Stephen

marstone · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:24:24 pm »

Quote from: Sirgod on April 30, 2009, 11:00:52 am

Haha, figured you would catch that.

I can remember being a studious youth, having saved all my change to pay for half of a C-64. Hours work typing on there odd keyboard, Peek and Poke to get the sprites just right, and lo and behold...

I made a hot air balloon float across my TV. That day I thought I could do anything, then I picked up a book about machine code.

Stephen

fairly the same story, but mine was an AppleII+ (heck still have it). My first gamy thing was a tie fighter shooter. use paddles to move it to the center of the cross hairs. blow it up.

Then it was machine code to do graphics (they looked alot better). Ai logic programming in school (got an A because I was way ahead of the class from teaching myself).

Now I get to look at my compiler and Grrr at it while thinking "why doesn't it work this time".

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