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1. ∑ XahLee (xahlee@noagendasocial.com)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2018 15:18:52 EST ∑ XahLee

   how soon would you have difficulty reading your own code?

   lisp → 5 years
   python → 5 years
   java → 5 years
   JavaScript → 1 month

   1. Jezza™ (jeremiah@noagendasocial.com)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2018 16:05:35 EST Jezza™

      in reply to

      @xahlee depends on how you write and document it. I can still read _drivers_ I wrote in the 1990s (C++ CodeWarrior, classic MacOS). Javascript, likewise, can be written in a disciplined, documented way.

      The question is what percentage of code needs to be readable after 3-4 years? Obviously, there is some (some of it quite critical and in for a ridiculously long life) -- but I suspect the average lifespan of a line of code these days is 18-24 months.