Code reviews

[NotAllThere]

Sometimes fixing the bug requires refactoring the program. There can be more risk in fixing a bad program than rewriting it to a reasonable standard.

[jmo21]

You had the best of intentions, no doubt about it.

However, there is a fine line.

If the bug fix in place takes 10 minutes, and a redesign of that section takes 2 hours, with the possibility of introducing new bugs, causing a need to re-learn the way a module works, could definetly be considered well beyond the bounds of what you were asked to do.

Was it your decision to spend that time, rather work on some other important bug or feature the buisness wanted done?

Maybe the technical debt issue is not relevant at all because they are scrapping the system or rewriting it in 6 months.

Anyone coming in (contract or permie) rewriting stuff when not asked to do so will always be met by hostility, I've seen it happen lots of times.

As it happens these types of systems are one of he main reasons I started contracting so I wouldn't get stuck for years maintaining rubbish. I like to write my own rubbish from scratch!

[BlasterBates]

My view is fixing the bug and refactoring are two different changes, sure you can combine them and it might well make sense, but refactoring carries a much greater risk of breaking something because you're changing much more of the code. Whatever you change has to be tested and there may not be the time to test this within the scope of the bug fix.

In other words potentially your change is incurring costs which weren't foreseen, your time, the time of the testers and costs incurred from side-effects caused in production from the refactored code whch are not to do with the bug fix.

If you sent your car to the garage to have the new tyres fitted and they also treated the rust on the wheel arches without asking you and then charged you for it, you may well be miffed because you weren't worried about it, there was worse rust underneath which you would have preferred to have treated and it's cost you several hundred pounds.

[mudskipper]

Sometimes fixing the bug requires refactoring the program. There can be more risk in fixing a bad program than rewriting it to a reasonable standard.

The point is that undertaking a rewrite that wasn't specifically requested without first making your intention clear is likely to be met with negativity. A short discussion before making the changes can achieve a very different reception.

[Gittins Gal]

Well you have to stand your ground. I've been accused of turning spaghetti code into spaghetti architecture on one occasion but told them about modularity, re-usability, testability etc. concepts that were new to them apparently. Hmmm, inneresting......

[Bunk]

Should be an inneresting 3 months.

Hmmmm, inneresting....

Inneresting but I don't think it has really died out.

Really inneresting weather site here

I read a really inneresting interview with David Attenborough the other day.

A really inneresting thing about the White post Inn is that if you are stood at the far end of the bar you are in Somerset.

Well you have to stand your ground. I've been accused of turning spaghetti code into spaghetti architecture on one occasion but told them about modularity, re-usability, testability etc. concepts that were new to them apparently. Hmmm, inneresting......

My sockie detector is twitching like a mad 'un

[mudskipper]

My sockie detector is twitching like a mad 'un

Inneresting...

[suityou01]

Don't listen to ClientCo, they're clearly muppets. Keep your head high. If you want to re-write the whole thing from scratch, do it.

Document everything to a high standard. Keep a RAID log, and this technical debt register. Call meetings and whine on here when folks don't turn up.

All the time remember, no one does it quite like you or understands your brilliance. YOU are the project hero.

It's the only way.

[SimonMac]

My sockie detector is twitching like a mad 'un

I hope she really does look like Felicia Day in real life, will make the next meet more "inneresting"

[SpontaneousOrder]

]
As it happens these types of systems are one of he main reasons I started contracting so I wouldn't get stuck for years maintaining rubbish. I like to write my own rubbish from scratch!

That was the final straw for me too. I took this gig because i needed to earn some money, but next time i'll hopefully have the luxury of being more picky.