OK, you probably don't want it to be another mailing list then. But a web
bbs that allows you to post replies to code.
So you still post your issue here and entice people to go to the URL with
your code (On the root post of a WebBBS). And then allow people who happen
to have the time when you posted your issue to read and have a short
discussion.
A mailing list doesn't work as well for this activity because its a pain to
drop in and out of mailing lists. Yet such code reviews are extremely time
consuming so I could see people donating time once a month to do it but not
much more realistically (based on the fickle *real* workload we all have).
Anyway, however you want to go about it, good luck.
I don't see much wrong with the way it is done now. And the argument that
the code eventually gets taken down is a good one. Yet if you actually plan
to put the code open source, then the link to the code will eventually
become real and will have been affected by the discussion which will
hopefully be reflected in the code comments (eg # I'm using XML because
Matt S. pointed out that my own format was evil.) :)
I will concede that it could be better, but it seems like the workflow will
be harder than it is now for a benefit (an archive of people talking at
each other about their code). I am not sure people will go back and read
the archives really.
Most people read archives when they have a problem (and then it is on the
mod_perl archive -- and do you really need every line of code from the
original problem still posted?). I think a new programmer will find greater
benefit from reading established Apache modules to find out how to do
things and the mod_perl guide. Reading archived discussions is quite time
consuming because it hasn't been digested into an article or guide.
Usually people go to the archive when they have a problem not
pre-emptively. And I think that although the code someone has posted for
comments on the main mailing list may no longer be there, the comments
about that code remain and usually with snippets of the code in question.
Anyway, clearly your mileage will vary from mine though. And others may be
interested. However, I lately I am drawn to the idea that when there is a
huge problem with the way something is done now, it makes an idea to solve
that huge problem get embraced quite quickly, but if there's only an
incremental fix to something then it will be harder to get people to
actually change their habits.
I don't think this list lacks for discussion on code that people might post
(although lately its this advocacy stuff). So although it is better to have
a separate code repository, I am not sure that people would flock to it
enough to make it better than posting the code to the list (as a URL) and
discussing it here.
At 11:53 AM 12/14/00 -0500, Homsher, Dave V. wrote:
> >>Just don't post your code to the list itself. It's rude to
> >>bloat the mails on the list. Provide a hyperlink to your annotated code.
>
>True, but what happens after you get your answer? You take the code down and
>move on. It would be nice to have a place to post the code where it can be
>organized and filed away with comments for future reference.
>
>Also the idea would be more "code review" than "I have a problem". From my
>perspective, I would like to see how others are solving problems and how
>successful they were through a given solution. Maybe even have a moderating
>system so that good code/comments float to the top ???
>
>There are all kinds of bits and pieces of floating around the net and in
>print: CPAN, O'Reilly books, Mailing list, etc. I can read perldocs to see
>how a module is used, I can check out O'Reilly books for theory and simple
>examples, and I can ask a mailing list for help when I get stuck, but
>sometimes you don't know what module will help, you've read the O'Reilly
>books and the examples are too simple/don't apply, and you aren't even sure
>what question to ask the mailing list, what do you do? I bludgeon together
>some code and hope that is good enough. I don't really have anyone to review
>it and say "This is stupid".
>
>I realize that you will probably have people do the cut and paste thing, but
>if it's good code, is that really a problem - especially if there are
>comments, etc. and an explanation of how the code works/is supposed to work
>from the author??? I see this as both a code resource and a review forum ...
>Thoughts???
>
>Dave Homsher
>Webmaster,
>MACtac IT
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eXtropia - The Web Technology Company
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