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You know when someone says "people are looking down upon somebody"

Today I asked somebody "will people think down on my code if I do this and that.."

Is this correct?

Looked for this expression in Google, couldn't find it.

Also, should it be "alternative of" or "alternative to" in the title of this question?

Context: In a programmers forum I asked a question how to do a particular task in my code. They offered a few methods, and I said I disliked one of those "best practices" and I would like to stick with a practice of mine. So then I asked "what if other developers look at my code, will they think down on it" meaning "will they think its badly written".

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  • I like your will they think it's badly written more than will they think down on it. I personally might say "When others read my code, will they think it's bad?" – Damkerng T. Feb 19 '14 at 12:08
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We don't really "think down on" something, but we can "think lowly of" or "think poorly of" something.

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Look down on someone is quite a common phrase.

Look down on - regard (someone) with a feeling of superiority.

In that way, "Will people think down on my code ..." does not sound okay to me. So, the phrase think down on is not an alternative to look down on.

An edit after the OP added the context:

Will they think it's badly written is plain, simple and unambiguous. You can certainly go for it as it makes it a better choice.

However, other alternative includes:

Will other developers think that my code is not a good practice to follow?

In fact, I just searched on the Internet and found that for coding, 'practice' is the better word to use in such condition.

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  • I've edited my question providing context – J. K. Feb 19 '14 at 12:00
  • You said it! Go with 'will they think it's bad...' version of yours! – Maulik V♦ Feb 19 '14 at 12:09
  • @J.Kowalski so I edited my answer! – Maulik V♦ Feb 19 '14 at 12:17
  • so all in all "think down on/of" is a "no-no" :) actually looking down upon someone is probably coming from the more superior person being taller? or standing straight while the other person is shorter or on their knees. This is how I explain it to myself, so thinking down on someone really doesnt make sense, does it? :) – J. K. Feb 19 '14 at 12:29
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    Looking down is not about being taller! It's something that I am superior (for example your boss) and consider you nothing. In that way, I often look down on you while discussing ideas in the meetings. – Maulik V♦ Feb 19 '14 at 12:34
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How about "look down on my code"?

From The Free Dictionary:

look down on somebody/something: to consider someone or something as not important or of value | look down your nose at somebody/something

“A lot of people look down on us because we're homeless,” she says.

Look down on or look down upon

They look down on our efforts all the time, no matter how much we try.

Source: Basic American Grammar and Usage by Marcel Danesi p.186, Barron's Educational Series, Inc. 2006

From the CORPUS OF CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN ENGLISH

These aristocratic and professional families have always tended to look down on business as something rather distasteful.

Source: What makes peoples rich? (cover story) by Richard Lynn, National Review 1991

In our time, the dominant class consists of intellectuals (very broadly and loosely defined) and knowledge workers. Its members tend to look down on business and to elevate freedom of speech and personal morality over the economic freedoms required by a healthy economy.

Source: Individual Liberty and the Constitution by Robert Bork, American Spectator 2008

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