What's In a Bug?

> I couldn't help writing the below; I would love feedback on it, as I think I
> might turn it into a HelpTopic. In particular, it clearly wants a bit at the
> end about "where to file a bug," but I think the language about the mailing
> list below is okay; people with post bugs to the list regardless of how
> anyone feels about it:)
> WHAT'S IN A BUG
> One day, you will be Squeaking away happily, and something unexpected will
> happen. It could be something subtle, or it could be something really ugly:
> the VM might even crash. In any such case, you've found a bug.
> A dynamic programming environment like Squeak is a little different from a
> traditional shrink-wrapped application in that the bug you've found quite
> likely belongs to you. Before reporting an issue, it's a good idea to see if
> you can reproduce the problem in a fresh image of the same version. If you
> can't reproduce the issue in a fresh image, it's probable that you yourself
> have broken something. It's okay! Spend some time trying to figure out
> what's going wrong and why. Dig in and see what you can learn about the
> problem; anything you are able to learn this way will assist you in better
> communicating the problem if you do decide to ask someone in the community
> to help you. Just remember, the people in the community are just Squeakers
> like you, and are not employed or otherwise obligated to help you.
> On the other hand, if you can regularly reproduce the problem with a fresh
> image, you mat have found a bug in Squeak. If you do find a bug in Squeak,
> you should dig right in! Learn whatever you can about it. See if you can
> figure out how to fix it: there's nothing more satisfying than fixing a bug
> you've found yourself, except perhaps for sharing it with your friends on
> the mailing list. It's okay if you aren't able to fix the bug yourself, but
> before posting to the list, it's good to make sure you've checked the
> following boxes:
> - Write a general description of the problem.
> - Supply (as exactly as possible) the steps you use to reproduce the
> problem.
> - Explain what you expected to happen.
> - Explain what actually happened.
> - If the bug produces a crash, it's really helpful to include a stack trace.
> - If the bug has a visible component or effect, obtain a screenshot.
> - Note the version of the Squeak image that you are using.
> - Note version of the virtual machine you are running on.
> - Specify the operating system you are using.
> The above activities will help the community narrow down what might be going
> wrong. Above all, steps to reproduce the problem are the most critical
> component to debugging. Without a way to reproduce an issue, it's almost
> impossible to conduct a fruitful investigation of it.
> (INSERT CLOSING PARAGRAPH ABOUT WHERE AND HOW TO ACTUALLY FILE THE BUG)
> --
> Casey Ransberger
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