Define Ninja coding you say?
Ninja coding:
When one opens an existing file written by a different party, puts in a fix that matches the style of the initial author with no traces left behind (except cvs knows :) )
So, I go in make my fix, and voila, everything looks smooth as if I weren't even there. All fine and good for the time being. What happens later after repetitive ninja attacks, I find that I'm becoming more and more assimilated by this code. This is all fine and good, that is, unless the code is BAD CODE!! Then I find myself coding like that coder does without even knowing.
Ninja coding can be good in some cases. It doesn't upset the other authors, and keeps the style flowing throughout the page. You know exactly where things will be once "learning" the style well. Like for example if a programmer decides to always declare his sql outside of the sub routine. You know that the sql will be right above it. OR if a programmer never uses parentheses on his method called.. $self->execute vs. $self->execute().
I'm a ninja coder. I admit it. But in the process, I'm afraid that I've lost my true self. How do I really code?