bugs

[Robert Sneidar]

It seems to me you guys are playing shell games with words. It's all  
a matter of semantics. "Bug" to one of you is not the same meaning as  
"bug" to another. So let me define "bug" for both of you. A bug is  
code that does not function the way the author of the code intended.  
If the author intended to fry your toaster when you clicked the "OK"  
button, and your toaster did in fact fry, it's NOT A BUG! If he did  
not intend it, it is. All talk of usability and expectations for end  
users is frivolous.

It is theoretically possible to write bug free code, but the chances  
of doing it decrease exponentially with complexity. (For anything  
like software someone would actually want to use, the chances are  
about the same as the coin dropping to the ground and staying on it's  
side.)

My experience is that if I try to be very very careful as I am  
writing the code not to make syntax errors, I don't get much coding  
done. My focus has to be mainly on concept. So what is the point to  
saying that I can write bug free code in theory? In practice I have  
proven that I cannot. And how would I ever be sure? Unless someone  
does the unexpected thing that triggers the bug, no one would ever  
know, including me. If a bug is never triggered, is it still a bug?  
If a tree falls in the woods... but I digress.

Such talk is silly. We live in an imperfect world with imperfect  
people. We produce imperfect things. We try to fix them when we find  
them. The only perfect man who ever showed up, we crucified. But not  
to worry, He's alright now. :-)

Bob Sneidar
IT Manager
Logos Management
Calvary Chapel CM