Code Bloat 3

[jwenting]

Another argument in favour of code bloat is that todays RAD tools don't generally create optimised code.

Programmers wrote efficient code because CPU cycles were more expensive than programmers time. Now processing power is so cheap, it's swung the other way - it's cheaper to let the processor bear the brunt whilst the programmer does the job as quickly as possible.

That's a big reason. Code generation has done more harm to coder proficiency than anything else since the invention of the compiler (only partly in jest).

Now not only don't we know how many clockcycles an operation takes or how much memory it needs but we don't even know what will happen (and if we care to look at the generated code more often than not we either don't understand it or the IDE doesn't allow us to change it to something more efficient because it changes it right back).

It's one thing I always look for when selecting development tools: the capability to control code generation (including turning it off...) and to freely modify whatever code is generated to match my needs so I don't have to fit into whatever makes the code generator tick (which is typically built to create the easiest to generate code rather than the most efficient code).

 

[SQLSister]

Programmers wrote efficient code because CPU cycles were more expensive than programmers time. Now processing power is so cheap, it's swung the other way - it's cheaper to let the processor bear the brunt whilst the programmer does the job as quickly as possible.

Actually I don't agree with this. In the short term it is cheaper. In the long term when you get lots of customers running against a large database, efficiency of code becomes critical. When you start losing customers because you web app is so slow then it goes beyond critical to emergency. At this point fixing the problem usually involves a major redesign becasue the whole thing was inefficently designed by programmers who no longer have the knowledge to create an efficient design.


Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[CajunCenturion]

I agree SQLSister, with one slight variation in your last sentence, due in large part to the lack of proper training. Where you say, " ... was inefficently designed by programmers who no longer have the knowledge to create an efficient design.", I would say, " ... was inefficently designed by programmers who never had the knowledge to create an efficient design."

Good Luck
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To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[lespaul]

Ok, I'm stuck!! I downloaded and installed the speed up tool, but now I'm trying to open a pdf file and I'm getting the message:

'The plug-in required by this 'URI' action is not available. Information about the missing plug-in may be available from Adobe.'

However, I can't find any information on how to get a plug-in re-installed.

Here's a link to the site:

http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/FAQs/KIS_AcqTecFAQ.pdf

Towards the bottom, is another link for Model RFP, it's when clicking on the RFP link that I get the error message.

Anyone have any suggestions?



Leslie

 

[lespaul]

never mind, I think it was trying to open a non-existant page, if I'm wrong though, please let me know!

les

 

[Onyxpurr]

I didn't have any problems opening it.

 

[lespaul]

Did you get the 404 error page?

Leslie

 

[Onyxpurr]

No error at all

 

[hotfusion]

Just for the mix, I get a blank IE page with 'Done' at the bottom. No AR or any download activity....

But then I've deleted the plugins folder. Everything works fine most of the time, obviously this is one of those other times.

Regards, Andy.
**************************************
My pathetic attempts at learning HTML can be laughed at here:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/index.htm

 

[jrbarnett]

Getting back on topic, I've recently discovered that its possible to knobble Windows so that it will only use a certain amount of memory. Although this is not a technical forum, this link is highly relevant to this thread.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;108393

I'm intending to use this to set up 2 boot options: 1 that forces the system to use only 256Mb RAM, and another for only 128Mb (main office desktop PC has 512Mb; I have an old P2 350MHz box with 256Mb as well, which I will add a 128Mb option). This will allow me to see the affects of lower RAM on my application and overall system performance using other applications.

John

 

[strongm]

John,

might I suggest a quick look at

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d..._1827b040-9a2c-4ec3-ad58-1194c63cefcc.xml.asp

for a tiny bit more info

 

[Glenn9999]

The main problem is that application development has gotten so easy on the PC side (stick a few "components" on a "form" and you got a working program!), that no one knows any conception of what they are doing. They don't scale the resources either (use maximum memory no matter you load a 10 line text file or a 10000 line text file), and often just "shove it out the door" without trying to look at that issue.

The amazing part is that people don't see it an issue. Even with this forum, I raised objections to a rather memory intensive (and unstable) approach and was shouted down as "ridiculous" and "stupid". Such are things.

I'm just convinced that a lot of people that know nothing about efficient program development have gotten into a lot of high places. Hence the buggy bloatware.