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Re: unexpected debugging help
by diotalevi (Canon) on Jan 23, 2004 at 03:50 UTC
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Oh yes, plenty of times. The work required to find the problem so it can be posted is often enough to find the solution as well. I've not posted a number of times just because I figured it out while trying to prepare for everyone else. | [reply] |
Re: unexpected debugging help
by liz (Monsignor) on Jan 23, 2004 at 07:56 UTC
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...stepping back from the code *just enough* to provide examples of what was/ wasn't working pointed out the flaw to me. anyone else done similar?
Whenever people contact me with having a problem with software I've written, I ask them to describe the problem as thoroughly as possible in an email. Many times, they've found the problem themselves, either being a problem in how they used my software, or what exactly the problem was with my software.
I try to use the same technique when I'm using anybody else's software. My out box has several half finished emails with problem descriptions that didn't need finishing because while writing them, I found the problem, or realized the problem was somewhere else.
Yes, stepping back and providing examples has always worked for me: actively as well as passively. ;-)
Liz | [reply] |
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Thanks, liz, you have made me realize that that I have a bad habit of asking people to explain their problem to me on the phone. That, of course, takes forever even when it works. When someone writes me about a problem on the other hand, solutions usually come quicker.
Now why couldn't I see that?
xenchu
The Needs of the World and my Talents run parallel to infinity.
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Re: unexpected debugging help
by Abigail-II (Bishop) on Jan 23, 2004 at 11:36 UTC
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That's very common. That's why I don't try to "guess" the
problem if someone asks a badly phrased problem, but instead
reply with counter-questions, trying to get the person to
correctly formulate the problem - after which the problem
solves itself.
Too bad too many people here are too eager to show off their
knowledge, and don't attempt to let the person solve the
problem him/herself.
A correctly phrased problem is already half solved.
Abigail | [reply] |
Re: unexpected debugging help
by Aragorn (Curate) on Jan 23, 2004 at 09:02 UTC
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Yup. I've found that the best way to learn something (more thoroughly) is to try and explain it to someone else.
I recall having read about a computer lab at a university which had also found this out. (I can't find it right now.) Whenever students had a problem, they would first have to explain it to a teddybear which sat on a desk in the lab. If they hadn't figured it out after trying that, only then they could ask the lab-assistant or professor for help.
Could be an urban legend, but I think this works very well in practice.
Arjen | [reply] |
Re: unexpected debugging help
by stvn (Monsignor) on Jan 23, 2004 at 04:06 UTC
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Walking away for a bit, can sometimes can be the best debugging technique of all. I can't tell you how many problems I have figured out by going down to the corner deli and getting a snack and/or something to drink.
-stvn
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Re: unexpected debugging help
by hardburn (Abbot) on Jan 23, 2004 at 04:54 UTC
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Just did it today, in fact. Wondering why I couldn't require a Perl file when I ran apachectl configtest as a normal user. Spent about a half hour digging around before I realized I didn't have permission to read the file.
----
I wanted to explore how Perl's closures can be manipulated, and ended up creating an object system by accident.
-- Schemer
: () { :|:& };:
Note: All code is untested, unless otherwise stated
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Re: unexpected debugging help
by dbwiz (Curate) on Jan 23, 2004 at 23:32 UTC
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Looks like you've found The PerlMonks algorithm.
And also a tutorial (on database programming, but it could apply to just about everything) recommends exactly what you are saying.
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Re: unexpected debugging help
by danb (Friar) on Jan 23, 2004 at 18:05 UTC
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I wrote a node much like yours once, but after stepping back from the writing *just enough*, I gained the same effect in my mind as if I were to post the node.
In fact, just now, I was going to reply to your article with a paragraph just like the one above, except after writing the paragraph, I got the same effect as if I had posted it, so I'm just going to hit the "close" button...
*click* ... whoops.
-Dan
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Re: unexpected debugging help
by artist (Parson) on Jan 23, 2004 at 04:37 UTC
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Computer science find the solutions of computational problems from other fields. Similary mind finds the clearness of itself by looking at other things. I think that it should be a regular practice to draw attention somewhere else instead of concentrating heavily on the debugging problem contineously.
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