Re: ICFP2004 results are in

[Stephen Leake <stephen_leake@acm.org>]

"Ed Falis" <falis@verizon.net> writes:

> On 22 Sep 2004 19:13:34 -0400, Stephen Leake <stephen_leake@acm.org> wrote:
> 
> > What are the features of a "refactoring editor" that Emacs + GNAT
> > lack?
> >
> > Is there a good summary/intro to a "refactoring editor" somewhere?
> >
> 
> 
> The idea behind a refactoring editor is that it automates ways you
> might  want to reorganize code to make it cleaner, or more flexible.
> This would  include moving declarations, combining common code
> fragments, and similar  transformations on your code base.  It's
> really a great kind of tool in  that it assists developers in common
> tasks while helping to avoid missing  changes that need to be made for
> such an operation to be safe.
> 
> A good reference on refactoring is Martin Fowler's "Refactoring"  ;-)

Ok. I'm familiar with the concept of refactoring, but I had not
considered how a tool could help do it.

> It goes into the philosophy behind it, enumerates common kinds of
> refactorings, and discusses tool support, as well as providing a
> number of good references.
> 
> Like a like of the components of "agile methods", the subject material
> is  about something all of us do after some experience developing
> software,  but the book reframes its importance and provides a lot of
> guidance about  how to do it effectively.

Right. I'll put it on my list of things to read.

-- 
-- Stephe