Lost in the desert of freedom 9

Posted by Peter Morris Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:02:00 GMT

In this time of frameworks and development tools, we rarely start from scratch. There is always some prescribed structure in place when we start a new project.

But, when there isn’t, we realise how much that structure leads us.

I have been tasked with writing a tool that does not immediately fit into the normal structure of a website.

Because of this, I had two choices, I could either force it into the stricture of a rails project, or I could step away from that crutch and work with a more lightweight and homegrown structure. I decided upon the latter.

I soon realised how much I had relied upon the imposed structure of rails to guide me in my design. All of a sudden I floundered in a confusing desert of freedom. I was free to design the structure of the app in any way I wanted, but which way? It was a horrible realisation. I had not in fact over the last 3 years got any better at designing software (as I felt smugly that I had). I had just been relying on the design skills of others to shape my efforts.

Don’t get me wrong, I think I have gotten better at software design over the last three years, but the improvement has not been at the level of software architecture and overall design, it has been at structuring the medium to lower level parts of the code.

Stepping away from rails had shown me that I still have lots to learn, but that I possibly have much less opportunity to actually do that learning.

This also highlights that if I (an experienced, 20 year veteran of software design and implementation) can feel lost in the desert, how much more bewildering must it be for people with less experience.

  1. njrlwmo 6 days later:

    lREr5q attenfldubru, [url=http://apqdnfqeqjsk.com/]apqdnfqeqjsk[/url], [link=http://qjkumvjfzsed.com/]qjkumvjfzsed[/link], http://lipvgbuvimjj.com/

  2. zrqlhxnwuuh 6 days later:

    rOZwba nzqdklgxmoej, [url=http://brvabtayqltg.com/]brvabtayqltg[/url], [link=http://kdciccpxsqpx.com/]kdciccpxsqpx[/link], http://plmzxnyknmsv.com/

  3. jtsfds171 8 days later:

    mammamia; lotensin; male enhancement pills online; buy kamagra; abana; generic geodon; ashwagandha; keppra; adalat generic; order uroxatral online; order cheap head strong; purchase zestril online; buy albendazole; furosemide; imdur; ditropan; relafen; buy cytoxan; order imodium; mircette; buy generic tretinoin cream; purchase generic alpha lipoic acid,; florinef; order hyzaar; buy avalide; avandamet; triamterene; motilium; mevacor; buy minocycline online; calan purchase; mobic; nolvadex; buy female viagra; glucosamine sulfate order; differin; januvia;

  4. jtsfds169 8 days later:

    mammamia; buy generic breast enhancement online; purchase msm; methotrexate; hydrochlorothiazide; generic tetracycline; folic acid buy; plan b; buy topamax; actonel; cheap zyprexa; lamisil order online; buy stress relief; avandia online; buy generic ginseng; buy lisinopril online; bupropion; buy cheap vitamin c; aleve; order cheap diflucan; buy carisoprodol usa; flomax; aspirin; paxil; citalopram order; celexa; cheap rogaine online; orlistat cheap; buy cheap generic cla; clonidine; breast augmentation; trazodone; hyaluronic acid online;

  5. jtsfds381 10 days later:

    mammamia; acomplia; acomplia purchase; order acomplia; acomplia; acomplia; acomplia uk; acomplia; online acomplia; acomplia tablets; canada acomplia; buy acomplia online; köpa acomplia; purchase acomplia; acomplia; acomplia; acomplia; acomplia; acomplia uk sales; purchase acomplia; order acomplia; acomplia suppliers; acomplia; acomplia; acomplia kaufen; le acomplia; canada acomplia; buy acomplia online; acomplia; online acomplia; acomplia; acomplia purchase; acomplia tablets; acomplia; purchase acomplia online; compra acomplia; acomplia; acomplia comprar; purchase acomplia; acomplia sale;

  6. jtsfds186 12 days later:

    pharmacy; generic tetracycline usa; celexa uk; buy generic tetracycline online; celebrex; celexa; tetracycline; online celexa; altace; buy cheap celexa; altace; generic celexa; buy generic celexa; allegra; tetracycline; buy ampicillin online; altace generic; celexa online; buy celexa; tetracycline; altace generic; order cheap diflucan online; buy generic celexa; online altace; buy cheap diflucan; celebrex; purchase celexa; tetracycline; ampicillin online purchase; celexa; uk diflucan cheap; altace; buy cheap generic ampicillin online; ampicillin; altace buy; altace; buy diflucan; order celebrex;

  7. jtsfds157 13 days later:

    pharmacy; vermox; order avapro; estrace; cheap prazosin; order etodolac; wellbutrin sr; omnicef; cefadroxil; lanoxin; ashwagandha purchase; order lotensin; avandamet; cheap detrol; procardia; prinivil online; buy altace; uroxatral; purchase cardura online; levlen; order lopid; order ceftin online; maxalt; trileptal; pyridium online; order aricept; prometrium online; purchase keppra; generic docusate; lotrisone; xeloda generic; tofranil; tofranil; nolvadex purchase; cheap premature ejaculation cure; lopid; lotensin; buy generic mobic; triamterene; buy generic minocycline; bactroban online; online xeloda; buy cheap prometrium online; imdur; terramycin; bcaa; famvir cheap; male enhancement pills; buy generic pilocarpine online; cheap tenormin; buy generic tricor; florinef online;

  8. jtsfds402 13 days later:

    pharmacy; amitriptyline cheap; order topamax; order plavix uk; green tea; buy msm online; generic folic acid; buy coumadin; uk metformin; buy augmentin; seroquel; order clonidine; generic zocor; cheap stop smoking; buy cheap tramadol online; topamax; buy citalopram; purchase bupropion; buy generic tetracycline; glucophage; diovan; uk orlistat; celexa; order alli uk; order generic trazodone; vytorin; generic levaquin usa,; neurontin online; buy breast augmentation; folic acid; soma purchase; generic abilify online; buspar; calcium carbonate online; skelaxin; buy flomax; zetia;

  9. jtsfds293 13 days later:

    pharmacy; acomplia; buy cheap generic cialis soft tabs; buy cheap cialis soft tabs; uk prozac generic; levitra; weight loss,; buy rimonabant; weight loss,; uk hoodia cheap; cialis; propranolol cheap; order hoodia; buy hoodia; cialis; prozac; buy acomplia online; cheapest viagra; stromectol; uk rimonabant generic; lipitor online; purchasing accutane; uk buy doxycycline; viagra soft tabs; propranolol; buy cheap lexapro; propecia cheap; clomid; generic levitra; generic propecia online; propecia; accutane; levitra; stromectol; buy generic zoloft; buy doxycycline online; viagra online; buy stromectol online;