mrm@sceard.UUCP (M.R.Murphy) (02/28/89)
About ten years ago I started keeping a list of the errors that I
made in programs. I made the list in the form of questions to ask
myself as I stared blankly at a {dump|hung machine|garbage output}.
I tacked the list on the wall next to my desk and added a new question
each time I found that I had made YASM (stupid mistake).
After a while, the additions to the list became less frequent, not because
I made fewer SM's, but because each mistake could be classed as one already
on the list.
Here's the list. I'm curious, can you add to it?
1) Is the argument count correct?
2) Is the spelling correct?
3) Is the argment type correct?
4) Is the variable initialized correctly?
5) Do "ends" match "do"s?
6) Is the correct register used?
7) Is a previous equate, using, or define in effect?
8) Is the level of indirectness correct?
9) Are the defaults correct?
10) Is the array large enough to hold the data?
11) Is the index out of range?
12) Is reentrancy, reusability, refreshability preserved?
13) Did you let something go by that you can't explain? Fix it now.
14) Does the program have anything remotely to do with the requirement
for the program?
15) Did you start to code before thinking?
16) Did you read the manual?
If anybody(well, a few anybodies) cares, I'll summarize.
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Mike Murphy Sceard Systems, Inc. 544 South Pacific St. San Marcos, CA 92069
mrm@sceard.UUCP {hp-sdd,nosc,ucsd}!sceard!mrm +1 619 471 0655