Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Debugging in Plain English?

Posted by michael on from the usually-a-missing-semicolon dept.

sameerdesai writes "CNN is carrying a story about Researchers from Carnegie Melon: Myers and a graduate student, Andrew Ko, have developed a debugging program that lets users ask questions about computer errors in plain English: Why didn't a program behave as expected? I guess with recent exploits and bugs that were found this will soon be a hot research topic or tool in the market." We recently did a story about revolutionary debugging techniques; the researchers' website has some papers and other information.

2 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. Silver Bullet by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Real debugging via a humna language (particularly English) is bullshit.
    Unless it's programmed in English. Now what do you call a program in English? A spec. And as Brooks said, half the problem is debugging the spec.

    He also said that there were no silver bullets, and he said so over twenty years ago. It seems that every few years a generation arises who haven't read him. Put natural language debugging on the pile with case and all the others.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  2. Re:"Why didn't this program work as expected?" by wideBlueSkies · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I am the psychotherapist. Please, describe your problems. Each time you are finished talking, type RET twice.

    where is the bug?

    Why do you say where is the bug?

    i need to fix that bug.

    What makes you believe you might want to fix?

    because my program is broken.

    Is it because your program is broken that you came to me?

    yes.

    I see... Well, are you sure that this is so?

    becasue i have to fix this bug, and you're the debugger

    Earlier you said you would like to fix?

    yes. please tell me where the bug is

    Maybe your plans have something to do with this.

    true. i plan to get this system back into production as soon as i fix the bug.

    Do you really think that?

    yes.

    Yes, hmmm... so, what makes you think this is so?

    i have a responsibility to fix this program.

    You mentioned that your program is broken?

    yes, you do know that....don't you?

    Does it bother you that do not me?

    what?

    Can you elaborate on that?

    i think you need to elaborate.

    How does it feel to want? ...

    --
    Huh?