Comments on: The Example Conundrum http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/ databases and code goodness Thu, 01 Apr 2010 23:53:35 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Daniel Convissor http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-304 Daniel Convissor Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:13:35 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-304 A combination of theory and example makes me happy. I learn best by example, so appreciate real world examples that one can copy, paste, (tweak as desired) and run. They can be simple or complex, but they have to work. Of course, bigger examples can be a bit much to grasp during a presentation. In this case, break things down into reasonable chunks of key/interesting components. Then provide everything as a tarball folks can download, install and hack on later. A combination of theory and example makes me happy.

I learn best by example, so appreciate real world examples that one can copy, paste, (tweak as desired) and run. They can be simple or complex, but they have to work.

Of course, bigger examples can be a bit much to grasp during a presentation. In this case, break things down into reasonable chunks of key/interesting components. Then provide everything as a tarball folks can download, install and hack on later.

]]> By: LornaJane http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-283 LornaJane Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:30:40 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-283 Actually I would like to vote for kittens! Or indeed anything different and memorable that will make sense to my brain the way PHP's "needle", "haystack" variable names do - the sillier the better :) Actually I would like to vote for kittens! Or indeed anything different and memorable that will make sense to my brain the way PHP’s “needle”, “haystack” variable names do – the sillier the better :)

]]> By: Rinie http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-281 Rinie Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:11:10 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-281 Can you als show the ORM's strength and weaknesses if you start with the database first (using tables and views). I dislike examples that say: create a table. Why not just point it at one I already have... Can you als show the ORM’s strength and weaknesses if you start with the database first (using tables and views).
I dislike examples that say: create a table. Why not just point it at one I already have…

]]> By: Herman Radtke http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-279 Herman Radtke Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:32:07 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-279 I have to say that I prefer high level theory over examples in presentations. The problem with most examples is that they are often over-simplified so the audience can quickly grasp what the example is showing. If there is something unclear, I can usually ask a question right away and clear up any confusion. Examples are better left to articles and blogs where explaining theory is often too obtuse. I have to say that I prefer high level theory over examples in presentations. The problem with most examples is that they are often over-simplified so the audience can quickly grasp what the example is showing. If there is something unclear, I can usually ask a question right away and clear up any confusion. Examples are better left to articles and blogs where explaining theory is often too obtuse.

]]> By: Matthew Turland http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-278 Matthew Turland Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:09:47 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-278 Personally, I'm a visual thinker. I prefer practical real-life examples (bonus points if they add entertainment value to your presentation) with visuals to supplement your verbal descriptions, like the ERD you included in this post. Personally, I’m a visual thinker. I prefer practical real-life examples (bonus points if they add entertainment value to your presentation) with visuals to supplement your verbal descriptions, like the ERD you included in this post.

]]> By: maggie http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-276 maggie Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:40:42 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-276 Matt - Yup, that's a good point. Inheritance in OOP is what's really difficult to map to databases, especially ones that are very highly normalized. I'll make this distinction more strict in my examples. Thanks! Matt – Yup, that’s a good point. Inheritance in OOP is what’s really difficult to map to databases, especially ones that are very highly normalized. I’ll make this distinction more strict in my examples. Thanks!

]]> By: EllisGL http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-275 EllisGL Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:29:51 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-275 Sort of reminds me of the coversation over at: http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=14&t=79915 Sort of reminds me of the coversation over at: http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=14&t=79915

]]> By: Matthew Purdon http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-274 Matthew Purdon Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:18:33 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-274 I think a good example is something that convinces you that your life will be better with the new way of doing things. If you have something that is complex you can show why the extra effort of learning the more difficult tool is worth it because the simpler examples have failed. Please try to incorporate object inheritance into your example though so that you can highlight the individual ORM solutions to the most difficult problem in ORM design. I think a good example is something that convinces you that your life will be better with the new way of doing things. If you have something that is complex you can show why the extra effort of learning the more difficult tool is worth it because the simpler examples have failed. Please try to incorporate object inheritance into your example though so that you can highlight the individual ORM solutions to the most difficult problem in ORM design.

]]> By: Andrew http://maggienelson.com/2009/03/the-example-conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-273 Andrew Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:12:23 +0000 http://maggienelson.com/?p=240#comment-273 OmniGraffle dropshadows? tsk tsk OmniGraffle dropshadows? tsk tsk

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