If you ask the developers of that software they will provide you with a much longer and better ToDo list of what is really needed than any of us on the outside
A codebase is a direct reflection of the programmers abilities and understanding of best practices, etc...there is no indication Matt was much more than a weekend warrior/cowboy programmer when began implementing WordPress or forking it from b2.
Again, I think the definition of "good" given by some here is simply "my opinion." I know that my opinion would not be worth much to the WorkPress developers.
I'm not disputing that...but you keep bending the topic in that direction.
I am saying: Technically speaking...wordpress is a horrible example of best practices, good design, etc...
The proof is in the pudding so I'm not sure where "opinion" comes in...
It's insecure, buggy and mangled with SQL PHP XHTML JS with very little (if any) separation of concerns.
think programmers have an unrealistically good opinion of their own software and an unrealistically bad opinion of their others software
To some degree, sure. But that is why I posted a challenge of re-writing WordPress. I'm confident it can be done better "technically" speaking...that is retain complete backwards compatibility (tables, user interface, etc) all the while:
1. Running faster
2. Using less memory
3. Less bugs
4. More secure
And probably even trim the source code in SLOC a little
Those are 4 (maybe 5) quantifiable metrics...they are numbers which are undisputable and are good indications of an "improved" code base.
If programmer A consistently writes more code programmer B (because he types faster and thinks faster) technically speaking in that regard he's a better programmer...of course if his code has more bugs then at that point it becomes subjective as to who is the better developer.
1. Do you favour more code production?
2. Do you favour more rock solid code?
Personally I would opt for #2 but in a financially motivated software factory writing more code would quite possibly be more important. That is subjective, but that is *not* what I am saying.
I think it's safe to say that if users were awre of the bugs/security issues of current day WordPress and then given an identical alternative which fixed all those issues, security holes, etc...
They would be more than willing to switch, having more confidence in their product.
Which is why I thought it a good idea to re-write/re-factor the codebase into something "better".
I know that my software is not as good as WordPress'
Again your being vague here (software and good) do you mean from an End user perspective? Do you mean codebase maintainability and stability? Achiveing WordPress market success was mostly good luck and timing, like most projects that succeed in this industry.
I know how difficult it is to get software to that level.
What 50K lines? Dude...they have a team of developers who work on that project...
I was the sole developer for several projects when I worked at Intersomething and I managed fine and those codebases were not pleasant although more logical division than WordPress, so it was tolerable.
So apparently I know what it's like to get projects to that level as well...and there is little reason for projects to be that buggy, insecure, etc outside of ignorance to change or not understanding the benefits.
I would wager that if we submitted an application from each of us and WordPress to an independent panel that our code would be judged poorer that WordPress'. We programmers are notorious for thinking that we are brilliant. I have yet to meet one who is.
Who said anything about being brilliant? I just said I could do it "better" -- big difference.
