Why "good code" resists definition: the tacit knowledge problem, illustrated
sanmikoyejo · x · 2026-10-29
The author illustrates the tacit knowledge problem: experts broadly agree that an article is "newsworthy" or a proof "elegant," yet these notions are nearly impossible to articulate.
Try defining "good code": clear, simple, comprehensive? But what does "simple" mean — lines of code? Then one-liners everywhere would be good code. These unspoken shared standards are exactly what the CreativePreferences research aims to measure.
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