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# Throwback Thursday: September 25, 2025
- URL: https://nolongerset.com/throwback-thursday-2025-09-25/
- Published: 2025-09-25T23:47:27.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-08T12:47:03.000Z
- Description: Today's edition of Throwback Thursday is all about knowing when (and how) to convert a fit-for-purpose procedure into a generic, reusable routine.
- Author: Mike Wolfe
- Tags: Throwback Thursday, #Import 2026-05-20 02:59

*With over a million words scattered across more than 1,500 articles on this blog, you've probably missed a few things here.*

*That’s why each week in "Throwback Thursday," we’ll revisit some standout posts. Expect a blend of my personal favorites, insightful articles from other great minds, and a touch of coding humor to keep things light.*

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## Highlights from NoLongerSet.com

[Copying and Pasting Code with PurposeThe first commandment of software development is, “Thou shalt not copy and paste code.” Sometimes that’s wrong.![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/09/NLS_Icon_square.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/2020/12/butterfly-1049669_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/copying-and-pasting-code-with-purpose/)

[How to Know When to Turn Lines of Code Into a Standalone Routine in VBADRY vs. YAGNI. Don’t Repeat Yourself or You Ain’t Gonna Need It? Sometimes it’s not obvious whether a block of code would be useful as a standalone routine.![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/09/NLS_Icon_square.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/2022/12/Thrice-is-a-pattern.jpeg)](https://nolongerset.com/thrice-is-a-pattern/)

[The Rule of Thrice: Know When to Build Generic Solutions in CodeOnce is a fluke. Twice is a coincidence. Thrice is a pattern.![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/09/NLS_Icon_square.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/2023/06/Rule-of-Thrice.jpeg)](https://nolongerset.com/rule-of-thrice/)

## Wisdom from Around the Web

### Is it Worth the Time?

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2025/09/is_it_worth_the_time_2x.png)](https://xkcd.com/1205/)

## Developer Humor

> [weDoBeLikeThat](https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgrammerHumor/comments/1np9ozf/wedobelikethat/)  
> by [u/TheDanjohles](https://www.reddit.com/user/TheDanjohles/) in [ProgrammerHumor](https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgrammerHumor/) 

*Cover image generated by Ideogram*