Collective Wisdom from the Experts 141
Reading your own old code, from a project you are not currently working on,
can also be an enlightening experience. Start with some of your oldest code
and work your way forward to the present. You will probably find that it is
not at all as easy to read as when you wrote it. Your early code may also have
a certain embarrassing entertainment value, kind of in the same way as being
reminded of all the things you said when you were drinking in the pub last
night. Look at how you have developed your skills over the years—it can be
truly motivating. Observe what areas of the code are hard to read, and con-
sider whether you are still writing code in the same way today.
So, the next time you feel the need to improve your programming skills, don’t
read another book. Read code.