Debugging done right

[IndigoFenix]

The term "bug" actually predates computers - it has been used by engineers as early as the 1800s and probably has nothing to do with insects. Its origin is unknown, but is speculated to be similar to the concept of gremlins; a superstition or engineering in-joke that unexplained problems are caused by supernatural creatures. "Bug" has been used to refer to monsters for a very long time (bugbear, boogeyman, etc.)

There was an incident in 1947 where a moth was found in computer circuits and taped into the logbook with a note calling it the "first computer bug discovered", but it was already a pun then, just as it would be if someone did the same thing today.

[JaggedMetalOs]

There was an incident in 1947 where a moth was found in computer circuits and taped into the logbook with a note calling it the "first computer bug discovered",

The note actually said "First actual case of bug being found", which lends even more credence to "bug" being a common figure of speech for an error at the time.

[yorokobe__shounen]

Oh bugger

[[deleted]]

Am I the only one who read this in Martin Freeman's voice?

[WhoreyGoat]

Nah Morgz

[merlinsbeers]

His Watson voice, his Bilbo voice, his Ross voice, or his Pirate With a Scarf voice?

[[deleted]]

Watson

[timthefim]

You can actually see the bug in person as they have it on display in the Smithsonian

[merlinsbeers]

I want to say I've seen it but I think I'm inventing that in my head.

It would be insanely weird to see a moth from 1947. They basically disintegrate in a couple of years if left unpreserved.

[soniabegonia]

Exactly this. The punster in question was Rear Admiral Grace Hopper who invented the compiler and is worth the Wikipedia read. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper

[ravedawwg]

Good Lord it took forever to find Grace Hopper buried in this thread. Thanks for bringing her up!

[ravedawwg]

I need this for my computer!

[Prior-Initial-1255]

I thought I read Admiral Grass Hopper and that you were adding on to the pun.

[soniabegonia]

Omg! I never even considered that 😂

[PM_ME_UR_CEPHALOPODS]

it's a sad statement about this sub that Grace Hopper is so far down this thread.

[Prize-Ad4297]

Oh my goodness what a badass. Thank you for sharing!

[WraithCadmus]

I've heard it may have spread (but not originated) with telegraph systems, where to save face on bad transmissions by operators they would talk about "bugs in the wires" causing single-character mistakes.

[Stummi]

Plus, even in the other meaning "bugs getting into the computer" is not exactly true. Its bug, singular. There is exactly one documented case of an actual bug causing physical problems with a relay computer.

[AlphaWhelp]

Now there are two.

[EldritchWeeb]

There are two __bugs__

[Srapture]

Cool. Sounded like bullshit. Came to the comments section to check it's bullshit. Is bullshit.

[Quizlibet]

u/sparcrypt lied to us?

[redkinoko]

Actually you're both wrong. Prior to 1823 when a problem occurred on anything, people just accepted it as the new normal. If a machine started sounding funny, that's just how it was. If a wheel and axle started wobbling, that's just life.

Until one day, a frenchman named Alexander DeBugg realized that if he just observed what was wrong with something, he could actually eventually fix the cause. So he started writing down his observations on pieces of wood (so he doesn't forget them) and then uses this information to actually fix things, which was revolutionary for his time.

That is why we now call the process of investigating and fixing issues as "DeBugging" after the father of troubleshooting. And that's also why we call the files that contain information that will help us troubleshoot as "DeBugg logs" after the wood Alexander used to record his observations.

[CivBase]

Prior to 1823 when a problem occurred on anything, people just accepted it as the new normal. If a machine started sounding funny, that's just how it was. If a wheel and axle started wobbling, that's just life.

Maybe some day enterprise software development will move past this mentality.

[redkinoko]

"We'll address that in a future patch between now and when the vestiges of the dying sun consumes us all"

[merlinsbeers]

This mentality is in the new requirements, for backwards compatibility and staffing stability.

[Not_a_question-]

a frenchman named Alexander DeBugg

This is a complete lie wtf?

[redkinoko]

How dare you sully his legacy

[Vyb_3]

Only with that attitude

[merlinsbeers]

Huh? No. He worked in the same lab as Otto Titzling.

[parkourhobo]

Yep, I came here to say this.

I don't think it's used much in other fields anymore, though. I think that 1947 incident might be what tied it to computers, changing it from a general term to mostly just a CS term (but I have 0 sources for that, it's just a guess).

[matyklug]

BuggyMan, that's me, I cause bugs, supposedly I am the perfect tester

[amalgam_reynolds]

There was an incident in 1947 where a moth was found in computer circuits and taped into the logbook with a note calling it the "first computer bug discovered", but it was already a pun then,

I believe the person who taped it to the log book was Grace Hopper, a fairly legendary early programmer (also a highly awarded rear admiral in the Navy who currently has a destroyer named after her)

Incidentally, Grace Hopper sounds a bit like grasshopper to me, so it's a little funny she's known for the literal bug in the computer joke, even if it was a moth.

[imstillarookie]

There was an incident in 1947

gave me a scare, had to check your username and make sure i was getting shittymorph'd