One software developer argues: yes. Over on his blog, Henrik Warne explores the idea that bugs aren’t all annoying problem, but a fascinating and unexpected key to solving common coding problems. Whenever he encounters a particularly interesting or complicated bug, he explores the idea of how it can help him become a better software developer and programmer. So, what method does Warne follow to learn from his bugs? It’s rather simple – he writes a short description of the bug, including all known facts about it, and the lessons learned from it. In the post, he describes how he is able to catalogue all of the bugs he encounters in this way: But the question remains: why should you care to catalogue your bugs in this way? It’s easier to learn when the bugs are approached from a different angle. The act of writing works for Warne, as it helps him to retain more information that way. Having this system of recollection is also handier to go back and remind himself on the lessons learned. The next time you encounter a bug, try to approach it from the angle of wanting to learn from the situation. Though this approach may not work for everyone, there’s still so much to be gained from utilizing different solution methods to solve a persistent problem. Photo: Flickr / Dino Latoga
