Refactoring and punts

Refactoring and punts The best way to refactor software is a little at a time, like cleaning up in a kitchen as one cooks. Doing it this way allows for testing after each small change. Otherwise the crud mounts up and up, and eventually you have to stop cooking and spend time cleaning.

So it became with the user interface to the pension application, and yesterday was Day 20 of refactoring it. So many pieces to be moved or rewritten. Also a new field for me: writing GUI in APL, so I had new expressions and style to work out. Long, long days avoiding interruptions, to keep the many pieces in mind. At last the kitchen is clean enough to cook in again, but I need a break now to recover. A sprint like this is exhilarating but always ends with shorter and shorter productive days. Coffee is not a long-term substitute for fresh air and exercise.

Cambridge is close to Stevenage and despite failing to recruit companions, I was at Newnham Mill in the 30° heat by 5pm yesterday to check out a punt. One of the friendly fellows from Granta Punts helped me port the punt onto the upper river. Then I worked it 3 miles upstream to Grantchester, where I found a good steak and a pint in the Green Man. Then back downstream in the gathering dark through a wonderful dream-like quiet.

And a river of green
is sliding unseen
beneath the trees.
Pink Floyd/“Grantchester Meadows”