Coding Horror: Let’s Just Duplicate Our App?

This post is starting a new series called “Coding Horror”. Just when I though I’ve seen it all, I still am continually blindsided with seeing or having to deal with the worst code ever, either due to poorly trained programmers (or just don’t care) or idiotic decisions by management!

This week I am working on a globalization project for a company here in San Diego. They have two projects (solutions) that need to be coded to allow to be converted into a different language (something I never see a company do when they first write applications). So I wrote all the code to convert all the message boxes in one application then moved over to convert the second application. It only took me a minute or two to discover that 99% of the message boxes were the same!

I contacted the other (lead) programmer working on this project with me (we have both been hired as outside contractors). He told me that they needed a new app that did the same thing but with just a few different screens. So they duplicated the ENTIRE CODE BASE and changed those few screens?!?!?!?!? I could not believe what I heard. I have heard of duplicate code before but a duplicate app?

The programmer that we work with internal to the company fought against this but was overruled by management. I immediately wanted to know “who” made that decision, who could possibly think this was a good idea? Any “good” programmer knows that this creates a maintenance nightmare. Also, the company is essentially paying us double for the work we are doing. Not wise by any stretch of the imagination.

So, I should not complain…. I’m making good money doing work for this company. I’m just wise to their management and if asked, would never accept a position there.

Do you have a coding horror story? If so, please use the About page and send it to me. I will publish it here on dotNetTips.com.