Alex Rivera | Logout

If as assert fails, is there a bug?

Asked 2010-05-20T21:16:04.283
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I've always followed the logic: if assert fails, then there is a bug. Root cause could either be:

  • Assert itself is invalid (bug)
  • There is a programming error (bug)
  • (no other options)

I.E. Are there any other conclusions one could come to? Are there cases where an assert would fail and there is no bug?

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If you are trying to be logically inclusive about all the possibilities, remember that electronic circuitry is known to be affected by radiation from space. If the right photon/particle hits in just the right place at just the right time, it can cause an otherwise logically impossible state transition.

The probability is vanishingly small but still non-zero.

answered 2010-05-20T21:48:16.310

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