The Bug (Up Close and Personal)

Abstract

This essay is a subjective reflection on the nature of the computer bug. Using a statement-driven writing style that is inspired by the structure of code, I propose a new categorisation of bugs based on why and where they occur. What are the particular failures that lead to software and hardware errors? What do they tell us about the constitution of the digital world? And what can they teach us about ourselves and our relationship to machines? Drawing on my professional experience as both a software developer and an artist, I try to capture the bug not just as the technical problem it is most often described as but instead as a multi-layered phenomenon and a personal experience.