Write it or Copy it or use Software?
By vivasuzi
@vivasuzi (4127)
United States
March 16, 2007 10:51am CST
As I was creating a pop-up window on our website today, I once again seeked out a previous page I made with a pop-up window so that I could copy the code. I figure I already perfected this code once, and even though it's pretty basic, I shouldn't have to memorize it. Every time I want a pop up, I just open this one specific page and copy the code out.
Then I suddenly had a memory. Someone once saw me do this and thought it was not the way to code. He thought I should have written the code from scratch. He further thought it was "cheating" to use software such as Frontpage to create basic things like tables and styles for me.
The thing is, I KNOW how to create a table, I KNOW how to apply styles, I KNOW how to create a pop-up from scratch... but why should I waste time and brain power coding these things from scratch when I can either copy code I already wrote, or copy code I found online, OR let Frontpage create it for me? I think using these resources makes it easier to do the simple tasks, and clears my head so I can concentrate on the more difficult parts of the website.
What do you guys think? I have a horrible memory and think it's best not to try to memorize code just to impress someone. I think it's valuable that I know how to find the code quickly and easily :) Do you think it's "cheating" to let a program help you do your work?
PS: I'm not talking about school work, I know you have to do that on your own. I'm talking about work in the real world. Discuss :)
2 people like this
2 responses
@nufoundglory (1353)
• Serbia And Montenegro
17 Mar 07
First off, i'm curious who is that "someone" actually? Is he a boss, a colleague, or merely a friend to you?
To tell you the truth, this thought HAD strike me on my mind before as i was designing some web pages. Because like you, i also copy and paste from my previous works too. I do this a lot especially with CSS. Not like we don't know how to do it from scratch, but it saves your bloody time.
I think it's just completely normal. Unless you are someone who is "too honest" and fear of being called a "cheater" for no reason.
This is the real world, not some school afraid-of-being-expelled-bcos-of-cheating world.
Have a good day, i give you a + for good discussion. :)
1 person likes this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
19 Mar 07
Actually it wasn't a friend, that's for sure - but I never understood why he thought it was cheating since I was taught in college that copying code from the net is OK! The teacher would always say, if someone already wrote it, and you can use a part of it, why not? Obviously they wanted us to still write it from scratch, but would encourage looking for help online if we couldn't figure it out.
It is true that it just saves time! You would think your coworkers and your bosses would WANT you to copy previous works so that you could get more done :) Thanks for the response!
And since I'm too lazy to respond to the other two, I'll just say THANKS to all of you here :)
1 person likes this
@kareng (59167)
• United States
16 Mar 07
I'm all for shortcuts and I find myself doing the same thing for posting picutures. Then I just have to change the file name. Positioning, size, etc. are all the same so I may as well copy and paste instead of doing all the work from scratch.
I say go with the timesaver :)
1 person likes this
