Reply to post: Re: Documentation is beyond the capabilities of most FOSS-ers

Torvalds CONFESSES: 'I'm pretty good at alienating devs'

Pete 2 Silver badge

Re: Documentation is beyond the capabilities of most FOSS-ers

> Actually it's not a joke - it's a reference to Real Programmers Don't Use Pascal

Yes. I'm familiar with the quote. However, I've always considered it sarcasm.

The reason is that the code describes what the computer will DO, not necessarily what the coder INTENDED. It also completely fails to assist in indicating what false leads the original implementer tried and discarded, the assumptions or requirements that were in the original design (another part of the documentation) or the reasons for choosing that one particular way of writing the solution. Even then, it doesn't take into account whatever bugs, shortcomings, numerical overflows or timing/race conditions are applied by the hardware, even if the software is algorithmically correct and compiled to a true executable.

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon