Comment Re:Ask Slashdot: Have you used Extreme programming (Score 1) 444
We've been using a modified XP process at work for a little over 2 years now, and I've got to agree with you on the benefits of pair programming. It is difficult at first to give up control of the keyboard, and at first I felt a little strange telling someone else how they should do something. Generally, I'm a hands on kind of guy, I would rather just do something myself than have to explain to someone else why they should do it and how to do it.
That said, I have really come around, and now I love pair programming. The newer people in our group get to learn from us, and we get to make sure they learn our way of doing things. We also learn from them, when they bring new ideas and methodologies and such. Plus, when we do our designs, we've got two sets of eyes making sure everything is covered, and to make sure we adhere to our design. And we know the code is good, because we've got two developers looking at it all the time.
Not to say it's a perfect world, of course. We still have conflicts and disagreements and all that, and scheduling time to work with a partner is difficult when everyone is so busy, but we get it done, and I believe the product is superior to what we put out before.
No development process will be a perfect fit in every organization and situation, just like no stock $OPERATING_SYSTEM distribution will suffice for every application. You try it, you learn what needs to be changed, and you change it. Then you keep changing it as you go along.
That said, I have really come around, and now I love pair programming. The newer people in our group get to learn from us, and we get to make sure they learn our way of doing things. We also learn from them, when they bring new ideas and methodologies and such. Plus, when we do our designs, we've got two sets of eyes making sure everything is covered, and to make sure we adhere to our design. And we know the code is good, because we've got two developers looking at it all the time.
Not to say it's a perfect world, of course. We still have conflicts and disagreements and all that, and scheduling time to work with a partner is difficult when everyone is so busy, but we get it done, and I believe the product is superior to what we put out before.
No development process will be a perfect fit in every organization and situation, just like no stock $OPERATING_SYSTEM distribution will suffice for every application. You try it, you learn what needs to be changed, and you change it. Then you keep changing it as you go along.
