Premature Optimization

en_1212_upI have a confession to make. When I code, I feel like a deity. Honest I do. Rules don’t apply to me. In this domain, I make the rules. Especially, the severe penalties for premature optimization don’t apply to me, or so it feels. I don’t mean that in a big way, I mean that in a million small ways. Not premature optimizing is so medamn awful hard. I know Pareto, yet I just can not contain my self 20% of the time, so I get 80% of the penalties. I admit, I once wrote i += i < 0 ? -1 : 1; to save a boolean. But no more! We can learn to help each other. If you, after coding clean for a week, broke an abstraction layer, or if you, after coding clean for month, drop below the 1:3 remark:code ratio, or if you, after coding clean for a year, suddenly have a laps and spend six hundred and sixty six hours on my_malloc(), than join the POA.

Premature Optimization Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from premature optimization. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop premature optimizing. There are no dues or fees for POA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. POA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to code clean and help other premature optimizers to achieve sobriety.

First meeting of the Dutch POA is in the RAI in Amsterdam, december 31st.