I disagree with rewriting one's program. If I rewrite a program to solve the same problem, then I'll end up having exactly the same code. This is useless. If I am solving a different problem, then rewriting is usually in order.
In regards to writing (re)readable code, I feel that the word "readable" leaves the door open to a lot of abuse, and doesn't shut the door firmly on those who encourage literate code, James Joycian code, commented code, etc! "Readable" has connotations that one can read it at leisure, like a novel. It allows for some excess, some baggage. If there were an adjective which meant "the uncompromising naked terseness of mathematics, complete absence of comments except in pathological cases (to be avoided!), and short identifiers, especially in inner scopes," then I'd use that adjective.
I usually think in terms of Occam's Razor: what minimal program description reproduces the subjective effect that a user desires? I feel that any other approach would be based on ideology. "X-Acto blade like code," perhaps, rather than "readable code?"
I disagree with rewriting one's program. If I rewrite a program to solve the same problem, then I'll end up having exactly the same code. This is useless. If I am solving a different problem, then rewriting is usually in order.
In regards to writing (re)readable code, I feel that the word "readable" leaves the door open to a lot of abuse, and doesn't shut the door firmly on those who encourage literate code, James Joycian code, commented code, etc! "Readable" has connotations that one can read it at leisure, like a novel. It allows for some excess, some baggage. If there were an adjective which meant "the uncompromising naked terseness of mathematics, complete absence of comments except in pathological cases (to be avoided!), and short identifiers, especially in inner scopes," then I'd use that adjective.
I usually think in terms of Occam's Razor: what minimal program description reproduces the subjective effect that a user desires? I feel that any other approach would be based on ideology. "X-Acto blade like code," perhaps, rather than "readable code?"