Category Archives: Programming

“Design By Document”

I’ve only used this once but it worked perfectly. I was developing a function based on a regulatory document specifying how to build a calendar for regulatory reporting.

Normally you take a requirement and translate it in your mind to a convenient “shape” for coding. This is fine for most purposes. I started developing my procedure that way. Unfortunately the rules on how to handle holidays and non-working days were so complex I soon lost control. Continue reading “Design By Document”

Googling for Fun and Profit

Do you feel embarrassed about Googling answers to problems instead of working them out for yourself? Well don’t: if you’re a working programmer who has to answer for time spent, you’ve got to make use of other people’s work. As long as you don’t believe everything you read, it’s simple efficiency. Continue reading Googling for Fun and Profit