16 Dec
2002
16 Dec
'02
5:50 p.m.
The nice thing about fixing this bug is that the code continues to be improved. The last round of beautification made the code substantially more readable. This was a direct result of trying to track down a reference count problem. The problem proved to be elsewhere, but it was nearly impossible for me to inspect the old coptimizations.c code to figure out if the problem was there.
If we make the code easier to read, we reduce the burden we all share more keeping the software working. Inscrutable code hides subtle bugs and encourages work arounds that make the whole system harder to understand.
+1. Remember the XP dogma: refactor mercilessly. --Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)