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Subject:Re(2): Release notes: term for bugs From:Jan Henning <henning -at- r-l -dot- de> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 12 Jun 2002 09:04:49 +0200
>I prefer "known problem" to your other suggestions; however, I can't imagine
>a company liking that, either.
Just a thought that is not directly relevant to Beth's original question:
If managers do not like terms like "bug" or "problem" it is because they
think it might scare the customers away. But using terms like "issues" or
"opportunities to improve the system" in customer documentation is not
cost-free in terms of customer response either. Such weasel words tell
the customer, well: that your company has a weaselly streak, and they may
adjust their image of your company accordingly.
Depending on the product, the customers, and the company, you may be
better served by honest and direct language. (I'd say that the more
technical the customers are and the smaller your company is, the more
likely it is that frank language is the better approach.)
Another thought: By calling bugs "issues", you lose precision. A bug is
something in your software that does not work as it is supposed to be. An
issue or problem is a problem in using your software that is not a bug.
Examples:
If choosing the "Print" menu command opens a new window, that is a bug.
If trying to print documents with more than four pages crashes the
computer because the printer driver cannot handle that much information,
it is an issue. (Of course, from the point of view of the printer driver
vendor, it is a bug.)
Regards
Jan Henning
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Jan Henning
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