Source code is any collection of computer instructions (possibly with comments) written using some human-readable computer language, usually as text.
174
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23answers
26k views
Should you keep a copy of all the code you write?
I know the company you work for owns the code and obviously you will get arrested if you try to sell it. But is it uncommon for developers to keep a personal copy of the code they wrote (for future ...
82
votes
29answers
18k views
Can my company give IP rights away for an application I wrote off hours to another startup? [closed]
I am an intern for a health company (unpaid), let's call it Company A and I noticed that they are using a lot of paper form for things that can be done on the computer. Excel files for things that ...
69
votes
5answers
3k views
How do you put a price on your source code?
I was asked to sell the source code (along with existing users) of small utility app I created years ago. I've investigated how to put a price on the source code but so far haven't come up with a good ...
56
votes
14answers
6k views
How to prevent code from leaking outside work? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to manage a Closed Source High-Risk Project?
I'm working on an institution that has a really strong sense of "possession" - each line of software we write should be ...
52
votes
9answers
4k views
Is committing/checking in code everyday a good practice?
I've been reading Martin Fowler's note on Continuous Integration and he lists as a must "Everyone Commits To the Mainline Every Day".
I do not like to commit code unless the section I'm working on ...
50
votes
7answers
3k views
Is there something wrong with how we're doing version control?
I work with a team of programmers as the business analyst. We just released version 2.0 of our product and are working on the next version to be released in 3 months (it's an internal software ...
41
votes
22answers
7k views
What are some good practices before checking in source code?
My team uses Team Foundation Server for source control, and today I fixed some bugs and smoke test application before I checked it in but I forgot to comment some code. (This code made the UI a little ...
39
votes
11answers
2k views
Are there any reasons not to accept a software deliverable as a virtual machine?
This is a question about logistics, not a technical question.
My company has outsourced some embedded software work. Specifically, we have payed a contractor to develop an embedded system for us ...
31
votes
5answers
3k views
Where do you go to read good examples of source code? [closed]
I have heard a few people say that one of the best ways to improve your coding ability is to read others code and understand it. My question, as a relatively new programmer, where do I go to find ...
30
votes
11answers
2k views
Is “funny commenting” a bad practice or not? [closed]
I want to ask you whether adding some "easter eggs" in the source documentation is unprofessional or not. Probably you have read the StackOverflow poll for funny comments in a source documentation, ...
21
votes
26answers
2k views
Should developers be forced to check-in before leaving work each day, even if the code does not compile?
During a previous consulting position, the developers where told to check-in code on a nightly basis, regardless if it complied or was complete. Managers were afraid of losing any code and said now we ...
21
votes
9answers
1k views
How should I go about learning a very large and complex application?
Being a young and fairly inexperienced developer recently employed by a "real" software company I'd like some opinions and pointers on how to do the following:
Approaches on how to get familiar with ...
20
votes
10answers
3k views
Hand over source code to customer
I have made a couple iphone applications for a customer and was asked today to hand over the source code so that they could do the maintenance if this should be required.
Until now, no code issues ...
19
votes
9answers
1k views
What exactly makes code “clean”? [duplicate]
I am an intern at a small software company, doing typical grunt work. Many tasks that the actual developers are doing are above my head however I finally got to see some real "action" and write some ...
19
votes
7answers
984 views
In a legacy codebase, how do I quickly find out what is being used and what isn't?
I've been asked to evaluate what appears to be a substantial legacy codebase, as a precursor to taking a contract maintaining that codebase.
This isn't the first time I've been in this situation. In ...
