What do comments mean?

I mean really. What do they mean.

Specifically, what does this comment mean:

// Load the person

Which of the following gives the most correct interpretation of that comment?

  • The following code loads the person
  • The *intent* of the following code is that person object is loaded.
  • The following code *may* load the person
  • The following code used to load the person
  • The programmer thinks the following code loads the person
  • The programmer used to think the following code would load the person
  • The following code almost certainly doesn't load the person
  • The programmer once typed "// Load the person" at this point in the code
  • The programmer once copied and pasted "// Load the person" into this point in the code
  • Maybe, at this point in the code, a code generator once created a comment that says "// Load the person" or maybe an automatic merge went bezerk and put that comment there; maybe a programmer copied and pasted the text in, but in any case there's a slight chance that the following code may once have had some intent vaguely related to loading, or unloading, or otherwise tampering with an object, possibly of type person or people or, more likely, something else altogether.
  • There is a comment at this point in the code that reads "// Load the person"
 

My book "Choose Your First Product" is available now.

It gives you 4 easy steps to find and validate a humble product idea.

Learn more.

(By the way, I read every comment and often respond.)

Your comment, please?

Your Name
Your Url (optional)
Note: I may edit, reuse or delete your comment. Don't be mean.