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I wonder if you have much to add to http://www.amazon.com/Debugging-Indispensable-Software-Hardw... (which I really like).

Rule 5: "Quit thinking and look" is (I think) equivalent to your "don't assume".

Rule 6: "Divide and Conquer".

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I'll have to check that out. Although my advice will be free :-) But I'm sure that many many other good debuggers have developed the same basic techniques independently. Still, the vast majority of programmers could use some improvement in this area. "Quit thinking and look" is exactly what I mean by "don't assume." People tend to get wrapped up their own view of things and forget that empiricism really wins the day. There is often even fundamental denial, as in "what bug? I haven't seen it." Clearly if someone saw it, unless they were hitting the crack pipe, it's real.

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