Long run Quote by Peter Seibel
““Seibel: How do you read code you didn't write? Crockford: By cleaning it. I'll throw it in a text editor and I'll start fixing it. First thing I'll do is make the punctuation conform; get the indentation right; do all that stuff. I have programs that can do that for me, but I find doing that myself is more efficient in the long run because it gets me more acquainted with the code.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Coding Best Practices, 2005
Understanding unfamiliar code requires first normalizing its format to reduce cognitive load and build familiarity.
In simple terms: Clean code to understand it.
Key Takeaway
Format before reading.
Themes
coding
learning
maintenance
Mood
focused
analytical
Type
practical
advice
When to use this quote
- debugging
- code review
- onboarding
- refactoring
Key Concepts
code hygiene
mental models
Questions to Reflect On
- How does formatting affect comprehension?
- What other steps deepen code familiarity?
A Different Perspective
Automation can miss nuanced intent.
![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)
