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Old Logseq import
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Notes
- Premature optimization is the act of trying to make things more efficient at a stage when it is too early to do so.
- When people start to optimize, they tend to look at indicators. Those indicators become the goal, instead of the original purpose.
- Premature Optimization: What It Is and How to Avoid It – Effectiviolog
- For example, premature optimization could involve someone spending a lot of time and money picking out the best possible gear for a certain hobby, despite the fact that they haven’t actually tried out that hobby to make sure they enjoy it.
- Scaling software too early / over-engineering
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We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not pass up our opportunities in that critical 3%. A good programmer will not be lulled into complacency by such reasoning, he will be wise to look carefully at the critical code; but only after that code has been identified.” — Structured Programming with go to Statement Donald E. Knuth
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Why people optimize prematurely?
- relatively easy
- fantasize about the future
- failure to prioritize tasks properly
- See also: bikeshedding
- incremental improvement