Framework Design Humor by Benji Smith

  • Article

Benji wrote a pretty funny article exposing one of the main problems with bad APIs: trying to enable every single scenario at the wrong level of abstraction.

In other words, when your APIs get too complex, think whether you are not trying to enable scenarios for which assembly level programming would be much better suited. And if that's the case, do your users a favor and leave these scenarios to the assembler.

Note: this post has been updated. I mistakenly thought Joel Spolsky wrote the original article.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2006
    I don't believe the article is by Joel, some just posted it in his forums... The author seems to be a Benji Smith.
  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2006
    That's a forum post signed by "Benji Smith", not an article by Joel.
  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2006
    Um, Joel didn't write that. Benji Smith did.

    It is funny, though.
  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2006
    Great link.

    But, not to nitpick, Joel didn't write that. :) 'Twas written by Benji Smith (http://benjismith.net/). Not the first time I've seen a forum entry on JOS get attributed to Joel, even though he didn't write it...credit where credit is due, right? He definitely facilitates, though...(and maybe that's better...?)
  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2006
    That site is a Joel on Software discussion site. It was Benji Smith who wrote that article.
  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2006
    Actually Joel didn't write it, BenjiSmith wrote it.  It is on the Joel forums though.  I also found it amusing that the thread is from last September, but everyone started linking to it again recently.  
  • Anonymous
    March 09, 2006
    Funny stuff, but I think you'll find Joel didn't write it (someone called BenjiSmith did).

    Kent
  • Anonymous
    March 10, 2006
    Very interesting article indeed, good stuff Benji !