Perl Medic: Transforming Legacy Code

Chapter 1. Introduction (First Response)

“I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

1.1. First Things First

Let’s start with the basics of what to do when you’re presented with someone else’s code to maintain:

Don’t panic!

First, you have a strategic decision to make: Do you want this responsibility or not? Your best if not only chance to reject this assignment—if that is an option at all—with any semblance of honor may be right at the outset, even though you have nowhere near enough information to tell you how arduous it will turn out to be. If you can, stall for time so you can find out more about what this project entails. ...