How is an application like a bride's outfit? - 1 minute read

You've heard the tradition of a bride wearing "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue."  Well, that's somewhat like a good piece of code.  Here's why:


  • Something old: code you've already written (don't repeat yourself) if you can.
  • Something new: customize the old framework.
  • Something borrowed: similar to the 'something old', if you can find code that someone else has already written and has shared, use it!!  Libraries were written to be used!
  • Something blue: OK, I admit this one is more of a stretch than the others, but bear with me: in this case, 'something blue' is to make something really useful for the user . . . and that starts with character!  Your users will use your application if it's easy to use and solves a problem, but they won't love it unless it's entertaining.  Caveat: Clippy is proof that this last point needs to be taken with a grain of salt: sometimes, applications are better off without the panache.


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