Shower Debugging...

I have a book on my shelf titled "Software Exorcism", which is all about debugging and optimization. It's a good book, but it doesn't have any reference to the (I suspect) widely-used-but-rarely-discussed technique of "shower debugging".

Shower debugging is somewhat related to inspection, where you read source code to try to find the bug, but substitutes hot water and toiletries for a code editor.

I was working on a problem this morning, and managed to figure out what was going on and why in about 10 minutes.

There are, however, a few cautions with this technique:

1. Additional hot water usage, with the associated increased chance of the "arctic blast mind refocusing experience".
2. You will, at some point, forget whether you've washed your hair yet. For the sake of others, please do it again, just to be sure.
3. Two words: Prune City

Comments

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  I completely concur. The shower is my other 'office'.
  
  More for design decisions and such, for myself. :)

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  Just as long as we don't see these aids popping up in the workplace, that's fine.

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  So true, shower water clears mind to find good solutions!
  Also worth to mention, if you think about an issue or bug that you couldn't fix and go to bed,sometimes you solve it in the dreams!
  Did anyone had the same happend before?

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  We always refered to an extended throne sit as "talking to Golgothan", a mythical figure that provided help with debugging.

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  Hehehe..Over the years, my wife has begun to question my sanity when she sees all these strange diagrams and such drawn on the steam-covered glass of the shower.
  
  "You've been in there for over 30 minutes staring at the wall and what are you trying to write? That streaks the glass! And why are you washing your hair again? You were doing that last time I came in here."
  
  "Oh. Thanks. I forget."
  
  

• Anonymous
  October 25, 2005
  I definitely do most of my debugging in the shower. I've found bugs (software bugs...) I didn't even know existed. I don't draw or anything, I just stand there, staring blankly, thinking. And people ask why the most important thing I had to have when traveling to Japan was the shower (http://www.unsanity.org/archives/000421.php). At least I'm not alone in this kind of debugging.
  
  I find it's best to do this while washing your hair so you don't forget.

• Anonymous
  October 26, 2005
  Sometimes I wonder why I read this blog, but then you remind me.
  
  The bathroom is my design and debugging haven. There's nothing like taking a 5 minute shower and then standing there for half an hour in the most peaceful think tank I know of. I talk through my designs out loud, though. My girlfriend thinks me strange....
  
  When I build my home, it's going to have the ultimate developer's bathroom as a private extension of the office ;) I haven't yet spec-ed all the features, but it's definitely my top priority.

• Anonymous
  June 13, 2006
  My kids can't figure out why I take 20+ minute showers.
   
  Check out: http://blogs.msdn.com/ericgu/archive/2005/10/25/484677.aspx...

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