"BUG!" threads

[Brad Barton]

I'm sure we've all written a bit of code in our lifetimes, and as an occasional programmer myself, I am struck by the constant cries of "BUG" when testing newly released firmware. I know I don't have to tell most of you that a bug is a specific sort of problem that should be addressed in a future firmware update. What I've been seeing is that it usually turns out to be a misunderstanding of the way the Prime works, or a lack of RTFM on the part of the user. An actual bug is a rare thing and should be something that has been thoroughly tested and confirmed before it is labeled as such. In the interest of progress, I'd like to respectfully suggest that going forward it might be more constructive to try a few things out before we shout the word "bug" when testing newly-released firmware.

If you notice something unusual in the way your new firmware is operating, check the manual carefully to make sure that what your experiencing isn't exactly the way the unit is suppose to operate.

If you still have a problem, try testing several different inputs and methods to make sure that you're able to reproduce the problem. Maybe take a few notes on how the problem manifests under different circumstances.

Ask here on the forum if anyone else is seeing the same thing. Can they reproduce the problem you're seeing? Do they have any input that indicates you're doing something wrong?

If after these steps it is apparent that the firmware isn't operating as intended, then feel free to label the problem a bug, and report it here. If you've gone through the steps above, you've given the guy writing the firmware an excellent idea of what the problem is, and also a very helpful handle on what's wrong and how to reproduce it in testing.

Again, I make this suggestion only with in the interest of progress, and with the utmost respect to the users on this forum. This is JMHO, and I hope no one is offended.