Difference between revisions of "1722: Debugging"
m (→Explanation: links) |
(→Explanation: expand) |
||
Line 8: | Line 8: | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | {{incomplete|Rough | + | {{incomplete|Rough, refine explanation}} |
− | This strip shows Cueball and White Hat talking about {{w|debugging}}. | + | This strip shows Cueball and White Hat talking about {{w|debugging}}, i.e. the process of finding out what is wrong with a given computer problem, which can become increasingly difficult and convoluted. In this case, Cueball had a problem with his {{w|Web browser|browser}}. His attempts to solve this problem led him to a problem with the {{w|Device driver|device driver}} for his {{w|Computer keyboard|keyboard}}. Chasing that issue, he found an unclear error message from a {{w|Utility software|system utility}}, and so on. |
+ | |||
+ | Then, he unexpectedly reveals this process has led him to find the “Sword of {{w|List of Redwall characters#Martin I|Martin the Warrior}}”, a magical item from the children's fantasy novel series ''{{w|Redwall}}''. This refers to the fact that a complicated riddled path was devised in the series that would lead to the sword, which is similar to the process of debugging, as it involves following clues to achieve an answer. But apart from that, they are entirely different. This is pointed out by White Hat. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{w|Googling}} an error message is a common method used during debugging, often leading to useful information. However, when there are no search results for a given message, it means the problem is so obscure that almost nobody had experienced it before. (See also ''[[979: Wisdom of the Ancients]].'') Or, as the title text hints, it might mean it was a hidden clue to the location of Martin’s sword. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== |
Revision as of 13:48, 19 August 2016
Debugging |
Title text: When you Google an error message and it gets no results, you can be pretty sure you've found a clue to the location of Martin's sword. |
Explanation
This explanation may be incomplete or incorrect: Rough, refine explanation If you can address this issue, please edit the page! Thanks. |
This strip shows Cueball and White Hat talking about debugging, i.e. the process of finding out what is wrong with a given computer problem, which can become increasingly difficult and convoluted. In this case, Cueball had a problem with his browser. His attempts to solve this problem led him to a problem with the device driver for his keyboard. Chasing that issue, he found an unclear error message from a system utility, and so on.
Then, he unexpectedly reveals this process has led him to find the “Sword of Martin the Warrior”, a magical item from the children's fantasy novel series Redwall. This refers to the fact that a complicated riddled path was devised in the series that would lead to the sword, which is similar to the process of debugging, as it involves following clues to achieve an answer. But apart from that, they are entirely different. This is pointed out by White Hat.
Googling an error message is a common method used during debugging, often leading to useful information. However, when there are no search results for a given message, it means the problem is so obscure that almost nobody had experienced it before. (See also 979: Wisdom of the Ancients.) Or, as the title text hints, it might mean it was a hidden clue to the location of Martin’s sword.
Transcript
- [White Hat and Cueball are walking side by side]
- Cueball: I was trying to figure out why my browser was acting weird.
- Cueball: Turns out it wasn't the browser - the issue was with my keyboard driver.
- Cueball: Debugging that led me to a mysterious error message from a system utility...
- [White Hat turns around and looks at Cueball while Cueball is holding a miniature sword in his hand]
- Cueball: Anyway, long story short, I found the sword of Martin the Warrior.
- White Hat: I think at some point there you switched puzzles.
Discussion
Cueball is describing the familiar experience of hunting down bugs through convoluted steps. There's obviously a leap from debugging a computer issue to finding a fictional sword.
Sword of Martin the Warrior is a reference to [1] from the Redwall series of books. The sword has passed through the ownership of many characters in its time.
Anyone notice how small the sword is? ----
141.101.98.42 12:40, 19 August 2016 (UTC)--swampers
The keyboard problem could be the sword stuck (or hidden) in it. 141.101.98.15 11:12, 21 August 2016 (UTC)
Google'ing for an error message. 99% of the internet doesn't understand that concept. *sigh* --108.162.237.220 15:13, 21 August 2016 (UTC)
Seems like the issue was with the mouse, not the keyboard, after all. --108.162.221.29 03:01, 22 August 2016 (UTC)
Personally I find it even more irritating when googling an error message gives results... but those results are only for the source code of the program giving the error. Which invariably is not commented well enough to actually describe what the error code means, let alone potential ways to fix it. What do others think is the most irritating? No results, or source code results? 141.101.98.92 15:01, 22 August 2016 (UTC)
My dad used to call Sierra when their games crashed, and he'd give them the error code, and about half the time they went "Wow! Nobody's ever gotten that one before! What happened?!". Dad, fortunately, found this amusing. 108.162.237.134 04:25, 7 September 2016 (UTC)