Term of the Moment
data type
Definition: debug
Debug means to find the location of a problem. To debug software requires isolating the errant source code (bad program logic). Debugging a new hardware design means finding errors in the circuit logic. Debugging existing hardware often entails finding malfunctioning interconnections. The first computer bug is known to have been found in 1947 (see bug). See debugger and AI debugging.
Sometimes You Need a Hammer!
Hammers are not normally part of the debugging toolkit. However, many years ago, in order to find a scrolling bug in the Windows version of this encyclopedia, the text had to be scrolled for many minutes until it crashed. The hammer held down the arrow key key because it could take minutes of scrolling to activate the bug. See auto scroll.