Program Style, Design, Efficiency, Debugging, and Testing

Published in 1978. Each chapter contains a well-conceived set of programming maxims and a thorough set of exercises. Excellent discussing of commenting techniques and program style. "Comments should provide something extra - not just paraphrase the code." Example code fragments are presented in COBOL, FORTRAN, ALGOL, and PL/I. The program design chapter covers simplicity, problem definition, algorithm selection, generality, modest goals, and structured programming. Discussion of issues related to programs stored on punch cards and executed by machine room operators provides a humorous historical context. "Large monolithic programs are like a plate of spaghetti: pull it here and something moves on the other side." Spaghetti code issues still appear in the object-oriented programs of the 1990's.