--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Debugging: what an odd word. As if…" description: "\"“Debugging: what an odd word. As if \"bugging\" were the job of putting in bugs, and debugging the task of removing them. But no. The job of putting in b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/ellen-ullman-3943_debugging_debugging-what-an-odd-word-as-if-bugging_3170967.jpg" --- # Debugging: what an odd word. As if "bugging" were the job… ![“Debugging: what an odd word. As if "bugging" were the job of putting in bugs, and debugging the task of removing them. But no. The job of putting in bugs is called programming. A programmer writes some code and inevitably makes the mistakes that result in the malfunctions called bugs. Then, for…” quote by Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/ellen-ullman-3943_debugging_debugging-what-an-odd-word-as-if-bugging_3170967.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/ellen-ullman-3943_debugging_debugging-what-an-odd-word-as-if-bugging_3170967.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63a/ellen-ullman-3943_debugging_debugging-what-an-odd-word-as-if-bugging_3170967.jpg) > ““Debugging: what an odd word. As if "bugging" were the job of putting in bugs, and debugging the task of removing them. But no. The job of putting in bugs is called programming. A programmer writes some code and inevitably makes the mistakes that result in the malfunctions called bugs. Then, for some period of time, normally longer than the time it takes to design and write the code in the first place, the programmer tries to remove the mistakes.”” [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Programming inevitably introduces errors; debugging is the process of finding and fixing those errors after code is written. **In simple terms:** Programming creates bugs; debugging removes them. Key Takeaway Embrace debugging as essential problem solving. Themes software programming debugging error handling Mood analytical technical Type instructional reflective When to use this quote - coding - testing - maintenance - learning from mistakes Key Concepts software development quality assurance Questions to Reflect On - What practices reduce the need for extensive debugging? - How can you design code to minimize bugs? A Different Perspective Debugging can be time‑consuming and may mask deeper design issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bugging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bugging-2480077/) [Bugging Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bugging-job-5771260/) [Bugs Debugging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bugs-debugging-5771264/) [Debugging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debugging/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Nerdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerdy/) [Putting Bugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/putting-bugs-5771262/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [I'm only bugging you because I care...if I didn't care I'd just walk away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mislali/i-m-only-bugging-you-because-i-care-if-i-didn-t-care-i-d-just-walk/) [MisLali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mislali/) > [The real bugging issue is power and not the position or the person whom we are hinting verbally and relentlessly with no seemingly sensible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/the-real-bugging-issue-is-power-and-not-the-position-or-the-person/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [If something's bugging my ass on any particular day, I'm probably going to say something about it, but I'm not going to go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patterson-hood/if-something-s-bugging-my-ass-on-any-particular-day-i-m-probably/) [Patterson Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patterson-hood/) > [Most of the results of using technical bugging devices were of little importance for my service. It may have been different in counter-intelligence, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-wolf/most-of-the-results-of-using-technical-bugging-devices-were-of-little/) [Markus Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-wolf/) > [If something or someone's really bugging you, just sit on it. Just sit on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-maines/if-something-or-someone-s-really-bugging-you-just-sit-on-it-just-sit/) [Natalie Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-maines/) > [What was Watergate? A little bugging!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/what-was-watergate-a-little-bugging/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [This whole blogging stuff has been bugging me for years. Talk about no filter on things. People feel free to do and say whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moranis/this-whole-blogging-stuff-has-been-bugging-me-for-years-talk-about-no/) [Rick Moranis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moranis/) > [There's things that I see that I did on videos when I was younger that I be like, 'Damn, I was bugging.' Champagne Dame,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-dash/there-s-things-that-i-see-that-i-did-on-videos-when-i-was-younger/) [Damon Dash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-dash/) > [We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/we-should-forget-about-small-efficiencies-say-about-97-of-the-time/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [Testing proves a programmer’s failure. Debugging is the programmer’s vindication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-beizer/testing-proves-a-programmer-s-failure-debugging-is-the-programmer-s/) [Boris Beizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-beizer/) > [The most frequent complaint is that it's hard. True. it's a hard game to win Also, many people ask me how to use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nelson/the-most-frequent-complaint-is-that-it-s-hard-true-it-s-a-hard-game/) [Graham Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nelson/) > [As soon as we started programming, we found to our surprise that it wasn't as easy to get programs right as we had thought.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-wilkes/as-soon-as-we-started-programming-we-found-to-our-surprise-that-it/) [Maurice Wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-wilkes/) > [If debugging is the process of removing bugs, then programming must be the one to put them in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-feeroz/if-debugging-is-the-process-of-removing-bugs-then-programming-must-be/) [Arshad Feeroz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-feeroz/) > [The process of debugging, going an correcting the program and then looking at the behavior, and then correcting it again, and finally iteratively getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/the-process-of-debugging-going-an-correcting-the-program-and-then/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) > [Building technical systems involves a lot of hard work and specialized knowledge: languages and protocols, coding and debugging, testing and refactoring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-james-garrett/building-technical-systems-involves-a-lot-of-hard-work-and/) [Jesse James Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-james-garrett/) ## More by Ellen Ullman > [I think technical people now should learn literature, because literature teaches you a great deal about how - the depths and variety of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/i-think-technical-people-now-should-learn-literature-because/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [The web is just another stunning point in the two-hundred-thousand-year history of human beings on earth. The taming of fire; the discovery of penicillin;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/the-web-is-just-another-stunning-point-in-the-two-hundred-thousand/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [When I am writing, and occasionally achieve single focus and presence, I finally feel that is where I'm supposed to be. Everything else is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/when-i-am-writing-and-occasionally-achieve-single-focus-and-presence/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [I don't know where anyone ever got the idea that technology, in and of itself, was a savior. Like all human-created 'progress,' computers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/i-don-t-know-where-anyone-ever-got-the-idea-that-technology-in-and-of/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [You can only get a beginner's mind once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/you-can-only-get-a-beginner-s-mind-once/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [I'm a dark thoughts writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/i-m-a-dark-thoughts-writer/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [I hate to see capable, smart people out of work - young or old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/i-hate-to-see-capable-smart-people-out-of-work-young-or-old/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [“I believed my motivations were clear: to help the patient see the pattern that had been imposed upon her, this endless repetition of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/i-believed-my-motivations-were-clear-to-help-the-patient-see-the/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [It had to happen to me sometime: sooner or later, I would have to lose sight of the cutting edge. That moment every technical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/it-had-to-happen-to-me-sometime-sooner-or-later-i-would-have-to-lose/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [Software and digital devices are imbued with the values of their creators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/software-and-digital-devices-are-imbued-with-the-values-of-their/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [ I've always written. I'm from an older generation of programmers \[who\] did not come out of engineering. \[A\]ll sorts of people were drawn in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/i-ve-always-written-i-m-from-an-older-generation-of-programmers-who/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [Through the miracle of natural genetic recombination, each child, with the sole exception of an identical twin, is conceived as a unique being. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/through-the-miracle-of-natural-genetic-recombination-each-child-with/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [Staring prejudice in the face imposes a cruel discipline: to structure your anger, to achieve a certain dignity, an angry dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/staring-prejudice-in-the-face-imposes-a-cruel-discipline-to-structure/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [Y2K has challenged a belief in digital technology that has been almost religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/y2k-has-challenged-a-belief-in-digital-technology-that-has-been/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) > [I don't consider myself a Jewish writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-ullman/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-jewish-writer/) [Ellen Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) [Explore all 119 Ellen Ullman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-ullman/) ## More Debugging quotes > [Building technical systems involves a lot of hard work and specialized knowledge: languages and protocols, coding and debugging, testing and refactoring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-james-garrett/building-technical-systems-involves-a-lot-of-hard-work-and/) [Jesse James Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-james-garrett/) > [The process of debugging, going an correcting the program and then looking at the behavior, and then correcting it again, and finally iteratively getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/the-process-of-debugging-going-an-correcting-the-program-and-then/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) > [If debugging is the process of removing bugs, then programming must be the one to put them in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshad-feeroz/if-debugging-is-the-process-of-removing-bugs-then-programming-must-be/) [Arshad Feeroz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshad-feeroz/) > [As soon as we started programming, we found to our surprise that it wasn't as easy to get programs right as we had thought.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-wilkes/as-soon-as-we-started-programming-we-found-to-our-surprise-that-it/) [Maurice Wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-wilkes/) > [The most frequent complaint is that it's hard. True. it's a hard game to win Also, many people ask me how to use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-nelson/the-most-frequent-complaint-is-that-it-s-hard-true-it-s-a-hard-game/) [Graham Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-nelson/) > [Testing proves a programmer’s failure. Debugging is the programmer’s vindication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-beizer/testing-proves-a-programmer-s-failure-debugging-is-the-programmer-s/) [Boris Beizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-beizer/) > [We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/we-should-forget-about-small-efficiencies-say-about-97-of-the-time/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [There has never been an unexpectedly short debugging period in the history of computers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levy/there-has-never-been-an-unexpectedly-short-debugging-period-in-the/) [Steven Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levy/) > [Rushing to optimize before the bottlenecks are known may be the only error to have ruined more designs than feature creep. From tortured code…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/rushing-to-optimize-before-the-bottlenecks-are-known-may-be-the-only/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Programmers waste enormous amounts of time thinking about, or worrying about, the speed of noncritical parts of their programs, and these attempts at efficiency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/programmers-waste-enormous-amounts-of-time-thinking-about-or-worrying/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [If you want more effective programmers, you will discover that they should not waste their time debugging, they should not introduce the bugs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edsger-dijkstra/if-you-want-more-effective-programmers-you-will-discover-that-they/) [Edsger Dijkstra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edsger-dijkstra/) > [We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-should-forget-about-small-efficiencies-say-about-97-of-the-time-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The wages of sin is debugging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-jeffries/the-wages-of-sin-is-debugging/) [Ron Jeffries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-jeffries/) > [Treating your users as co-developers is your least-hassle route to rapid code improvement and effective debugging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/treating-your-users-as-co-developers-is-your-least-hassle-route-to/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [ “Remember, though, that debugging is as much art as it is computer science \[..\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-vine/remember-though-that-debugging-is-as-much-art-as-it-is-computer/) [Michael A. Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-a-vine/) [Browse all 35 Debugging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debugging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Debugging: what an odd word. As if \"bugging\" were the job of putting in bugs, and debugging the task of removing them. But no. The job of putting in bugs is called programming. A programmer writes some code and inevitably makes the mistakes that result in the malfunctions called bugs. 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