modifying an existing code

[StOoZ]

is "playing" with an existing software code , such as , amule , for example , which is written in C++ , is a good programming practice??

or should I start my own project?


I find it pretty nice , and fun to read & modify some parts of the code which im familiar with...

[stroyan]

Learning, fixing, and extending existing code is a much more common programming activity than creating new programs. It certainly is a good programming practice.

[StOoZ]

thanks,
up to now I was just creating C++ apps from scratch....
I decided to start going into someone elses code , and frankly , its much more interesting!!!! , too bad I ran into many things im not familiar with (file hashing , sockets ... etc) , but I didnt improved some of the things Im pretty familiar with , and its not only the wxwidgets gui.

[monkeyking]

it depends on your skill,
If you are a starter programmer,
then it's quite likely to be to difficuilt.

But looking at other peoples code will be a good lesson,
if you understand what you are seeing.

[cabalas]

If you plan to work in the industry or hack on already existing projects then I believe that it is a very good idea. I think I remember hearing somewhere that if you are in the industry you'll spend 80% - 90% working with legacy code. In my experiences so far I haven't come across anything to contradict it.