Debugging: why don't developers read?

[amyjko]

This final chapter of the textbook on debugging was very well explained and detailed. Amy explains very well when it comes to what debugging is and the various strategies to approach it. A question I have that this chapter could perhaps answer relates to the section about fixing defects. If the key to debugging code well is to ensure that the developer really understands the source code, then why do almost thirty percent of developers not read it? It is mentioned that refactoring or preventing the code from failing is a “delicate, risky process,” even if there’s no pressure regarding deadlines, so then why don’t developers fully fix the code in that case? As mentioned in an earlier chapter, patching the errors in software only helps in the short-term, not the long-term. I still wonder why developers don’t take the time to fully comprehend the source code or fully fix the bugs so that it is beneficial in the long run.