From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,e4b2dce209393666 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: rracine@myremarq.com (Roger Racine) Subject: Re: Business Week (12/6/99 issue) article on Software Quality Date: 1999/12/10 Message-ID: <3850f619.952080909@newsnew.draper.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 558979208 References: <82hk54$cbc$1@nntp6.atl.mindspring.net> <82kv5j$k6p$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <384eabe7.13628242@news.netidea.com> <82mlvh$mb0$1@nntp9.atl.mindspring.net> <82ochh$27p$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <82opns$7k2$1@nntp4.atl.mindspring.net> <384ffd52.888393602@newsnew.draper.com> <82p3vo$k8v$1@nntp3.atl.mindspring.net> X-Complaints-To: abuse@draper.com X-Trace: newsnew.draper.com 944831170 12830 140.102.40.31 (10 Dec 1999 13:06:10 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: 10 Dec 1999 13:06:10 GMT Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Date: 1999-12-10T13:06:10+00:00 List-Id: On Thu, 09 Dec 1999 20:42:14 GMT, Richard D Riehle wrote: >In article <384ffd52.888393602@newsnew.draper.com>, > rracine@myremarq.com (Roger Racine) wrote: > >>Why don't you look up the meaning in Robert's reference? There is no >>difference. A bug is a mistake that has not been diagnosed. The >>cause is not known, but the effect is seen. As if there were a bug in >>the system mucking things up. > >Ah, but we see the term being used, instead, for mistakes that are >diagnosed, simply not yet corrected, as in "known bugs." Further, >you have just acknowledged that a bug is just another word for >a mistake. Thank you. > The IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics Terms has this definition: ----------------------- bug (2) (software). See: fault. fault (7) (software). (2) A manifestation of an error in software. Syn: bug. ---------------------- I do not think anyone is arguing against the idea that a bug is a fault is caused by a mistake and that is an error. Synonyms exist in the English language. We just do not want to lose one of those words for no useful purpose. "Manifestations of errors" will be given relative priorities, no matter what you call them. Ones that occur seldom and have little or no effect will be fairly low priority, and will not cause a program schedule to slip. Ones that occur often and have little effect might have to be thought about, since it could affect training ("what is that little flash on the screen in the upper left corner every so often?"). Some well-known software company, on the other hand, would not think twice about this level. Ones that are serious must be fixed (these that software company might think about :-) ). So think about the term "bug" being used for any strange effect that is seen in a program. Yes, the underlying error might be known but not fixed. And yes, people might be using the term interchangeably with error. The English language changes, but not generally based on requests from individuals. :-) Roger Racine