As a software engineer, I need to sometimes describe a piece of code as something that lacks performance or was not written with performance in mind.
Example:
This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code.
Based on my Google searches, this isn't a real word. What is the correct way to describe this?
EDIT
My usage of "performance" here is in regard to speed and efficiency. For example, the better the performance of code the faster the application runs. My question and example target the negative definition, which is in reference to preventing inefficient coding practices.
Answer
This kind of coding style leads to unmaintainable and unperformant code.
In my opinion, reads more easily as:
This coding style leads to unmaintainable and poorly performing code.
The key to well-written documentation and reports lies in ease of understanding. Adding poorly understood words such as performant decreases that ease.
In addressing the use of such a poorly described word as "performant", I came across the following lovely excerpt:
"The unlovely language of this unreal world floats along on a linguistic sea of rollouts, step changes, public domains, fit for purposes, stakeholder engagements, across the pieces, win-wins, level playing fields and going forwards," the report says.
I believe this wholeheartedly encapsulates the why's and wherefore's of not using vernacular that is imprecise, vague, and designed to confuse.
Sir Humphrey Appleby, in 1986, put it fairly succinctly when he stated:
‘Sometimes one is forced to consider the possibility that affairs are being conducted in a manner which, all things being considered and making all possible allowances is, not to put too fine a point on it, perhaps not entirely straightforward.’
See http://www.theguardian.com/society/joepublic/2009/nov/30/english-language-misuse and potentially, http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/Doublespeak-Soft_Language-Gobbledygook.htm for more examples of why it is important to speak plainly and in a manner that allows ease of understanding.
itshambles.wordpress.com has an excellent piece on the vagaries of wholly unknown and unknowable language. The writing is both informative, and quite funny, and obviously well worth the read.
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