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You ever fix something and have no idea what you did that actually fixed the problem? (self.casualconversation)

submitted 8 months ago by xkforce to c/[email protected]

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Usually its something computer related and every time it happens, something about fixing something without knowing why it works now bothers me almost as much as never fixing whatever it is.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Problems that disappear for no apparent reason will reappear for no apparent reason.

I think this is a core part of the technical mindset/instinct. Any unexpected behavior is suspicious and makes you nervous, not just unexpected bad behavior. Plus it's just a professionalism thing - a problem was solved but I don't know what the solution was, that bothers me. It means I might not be able to fix the same problem next time I see it.

[–] RegalPotoo 3 points 8 months ago

This is something I'm struggling to teach a couple of the junior devs on my team - a PR that "fixes the problem but I don't know why" doesn't fix the problem

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago

all the time with Windows, drives me up the wall … computers are supposed to be consistent, boringly repetitive, not flakier than a sugared toddler …

[–] owenfromcanada 11 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I'm a software engineer. You know what's worse than not knowing why your code is broken?

Not knowing how you fixed it.

[–] shalafi 2 points 8 months ago

LOL, OP's never coded anything apparently.

[–] vladmech 4 points 8 months ago

I’m in tech support; this is a split 25% of my life

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

I have a vacuum cleaner like that.

The roller brush stopped working, I opened it and prodded the electronic shit inside, still didn't have a clue why it stopped working, put it back together and it works unto this day.

[–] proctonaut 3 points 8 months ago

All the time. Bonus points for the intermittent problem you thought you fixed and the day shift giving you shit for not actually fixing it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

yes, sometimes the quick solution is to disable some module/plugin/extension you don't need. you will never know what actually caused the problem, but when you need it to work urgently, that's acceptable.