REMINDER: Error messages should include parameters

Tue Oct 15 22:23:01 UTC 2013

On 10/15/2013 17:17, Jay Ashworth wrote:
> Off the Yahoo MX discussion, just a reminder for those who write code:
>
> *Always* include the parameters in the error message; pronouns and
> implicit references are Evil, Bad and Wrong.  The 30 seconds you take to
> add the actual name of what you can't find/talk to could save some sysadmin
> *weeks* (I am not making that up; something once took me weeks).
>
> We now return you to your normal router configuration conversations.

Back in the day we only had room for about 4 digits--but there was a 
your-longevity-here-is-dependent-on-it binder for every run-unit that 
listed every error code in numerical order that gave a narrative 
description of what had failed AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.

Seems like the massive stores we have available now days that we could 
do at least as well.