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cstanhope@social.coop ("Your weary 'net denizen") wrote:
Everything will be wrong about it. It is architected and implemented in confusing ways under conflicting demands you will likely not have insight into and, of course, too little time.
To reduce your frustration, you must accept these things. The prior developers did their best just as you will now do your best. Be at peace with that.
You will be tempted to throw up your hands and rewrite everything! That is folly. Despite all the apparent (to you) imperfections, the code or device now works as intended. Any changes must be done cautiously with an eye to only making necessary improvements or fixing bugs.
After all, if things stop working after one of your "improvements", it will now be *your* problem and it will reflect on you, not the people you inherited the project from.
There will be opportunity for new development, but you must choose your moments.
Add tests as you can! Automate builds! Document! Leave it better!
You are doing your best!