http://www.daytimesoftware.com/blog/2007/07/debugging-a-75-year-old The official blog of DayTime Software Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:00:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.daytimesoftware.com/blog/2007/07/debugging-a-75-year-old/comment-page-1#comment-65 The Daydream Blog » Blog Archive » I Am Not Wil Shipley Thu, 01 Nov 2007 17:17:38 +0000 http://www.daytimesoftware.com/blog/2007/07/debugging-a-75-year-old#comment-65 [...] A phrase I often used in the early days of my career was “Problem Exists between Keyboard and Chair”, to imply that a user with a support issue was either stupid or did not understand how the software worked. Inexperienced developers often believe that they have found a bug in the underlying system, when the reality is that 99% of the time, the problem lies in their own code. Similarly even experienced IT staff often assume the problem lies with their users when it comes to support issues, when usually the app should be improved to be less confusing. I covered this in depth in an earlier post. [...] [...] A phrase I often used in the early days of my career was “Problem Exists between Keyboard and Chair”, to imply that a user with a support issue was either stupid or did not understand how the software worked. Inexperienced developers often believe that they have found a bug in the underlying system, when the reality is that 99% of the time, the problem lies in their own code. Similarly even experienced IT staff often assume the problem lies with their users when it comes to support issues, when usually the app should be improved to be less confusing. I covered this in depth in an earlier post. [...]

]]> http://www.daytimesoftware.com/blog/2007/07/debugging-a-75-year-old/comment-page-1#comment-21 Matt James Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:44:58 +0000 http://www.daytimesoftware.com/blog/2007/07/debugging-a-75-year-old#comment-21 Well said! Often, I've been faced with situations where, during testing or production use, the user has come across an issue and my immediate reaction is to dismiss it. When I catch myself doing this, I do my best to sit back in the chair, take my hands off the keyboard and my eyes off the monitor. I try to visualize what the ideal solution would be. I may not have enough time to actually execute the solution due to complex technical issues but it is well worth the 5 to 10 minutes of thought so that, when I have the time or resources, I'll have a plan. Often, the result is a better understanding, refinement and simplification of the software in places that I would have never expected. Well said! Often, I’ve been faced with situations where, during testing or production use, the user has come across an issue and my immediate reaction is to dismiss it. When I catch myself doing this, I do my best to sit back in the chair, take my hands off the keyboard and my eyes off the monitor. I try to visualize what the ideal solution would be. I may not have enough time to actually execute the solution due to complex technical issues but it is well worth the 5 to 10 minutes of thought so that, when I have the time or resources, I’ll have a plan. Often, the result is a better understanding, refinement and simplification of the software in places that I would have never expected.

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