Occam's Razor
Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:42 pmQuite often (more often than I'd like), I come across strange, inexplicable behaviour from software being reported to us.
Not just Jiwa, but SQL Server, web browsers, you name it. Why we end up providing support for a web browser or FTP client is a whole 'nother gripe I've got that I won't go into here.
Usually, the reason for the strange, inexplicable behaviour is a configuration outside of what we would deem "standard".
This is where I would like everyone to familiarise themselves with the principle Occam's razor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor).
When you get down to it, it's quite succint : The simplest answer is usually the correct answer.
Lets apply this to, say, creating a new SQL Login in SQL Server. At some point you will be presented with a dialog "Login - New" - asking for the Login name and password. That's ALL you need to enter. Don't feel compelled to click on the page tab on the left, and tick every box under the server roles, or mess with any other settings - unless you know exactly what they do.
Messing with settings you know nothing about will likely end in tears... Assume if some vitally important setting needs to be checked, entered or selected, then someone would have told you about it, or it would already be selected.
So, the next time you're installing, or configuring some software - keep that in mind. Don't feel compelled to tick every box presented. There's a reason why they are not ticked already.
Not just Jiwa, but SQL Server, web browsers, you name it. Why we end up providing support for a web browser or FTP client is a whole 'nother gripe I've got that I won't go into here.
Usually, the reason for the strange, inexplicable behaviour is a configuration outside of what we would deem "standard".
This is where I would like everyone to familiarise themselves with the principle Occam's razor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_Razor).
When you get down to it, it's quite succint : The simplest answer is usually the correct answer.
Lets apply this to, say, creating a new SQL Login in SQL Server. At some point you will be presented with a dialog "Login - New" - asking for the Login name and password. That's ALL you need to enter. Don't feel compelled to click on the page tab on the left, and tick every box under the server roles, or mess with any other settings - unless you know exactly what they do.
Messing with settings you know nothing about will likely end in tears... Assume if some vitally important setting needs to be checked, entered or selected, then someone would have told you about it, or it would already be selected.
So, the next time you're installing, or configuring some software - keep that in mind. Don't feel compelled to tick every box presented. There's a reason why they are not ticked already.