Re: Parameter Modes, In In Out and Out

[Robert Dewar <robert_dewar@my-deja.com>]

In article <dale-E86DFE.09024813012001@news-server>,
  Dale Stanbrough <dale@cs.rmit.edu.au> wrote:

> Which, interestingly, is a very good description of
> debugging. I find it amusing that what is often considered
> the lowest form of "computer science" is the closest to the
> process of science that most computer people get to.

Very true, I had not specifically made this identification
before, but you are absolutely right, and indeed, part of
the skill in debugging is exactly the same kind of careful
experimentation and theory formation that is characteristic
of empirical science. This is especially true if you are
dealing with a large program whose structure you are not
completely familiar with.

The other view of debugging is that it is for some people
a kind of computer RPG game "in the large array on the right,
you spot an uninitialized pointer ...."

I definitely note that some people enjoy debugging a lot, and
one of the interesting dynamics is that if you enjoy debugging,
then there is not much incentive to write code right the first
time. Personally I like programming, but I hate debugging, so
I have a big incentive to get things right first time (and
I find the clean room approach quite appealing :-)


Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/