There are literally hundreds or thousands of bug tracking software programs. Most are dedicated issue trackers whose sole purpose is to track bugs in software programs. But because of the need to prioritize software glitches by severity and frequency, many bug trackers have been modified slightly so that they can be used as complex “To Do” lists. Prioritizing what needs attention first is a major component of bug tracking software.
Most bug trackers that you will find through an internet search are web based programs. The reason for this is that programmers want computer users to have access to them no matter where they live or work. When consumers have the ability to track the bugs in their own system, and can then share that information with programmers through the web based bug tracker, programmers have a much larger body of information and evidence against the bugs they hope to exterminate.
However, there are also bug tracking programs designed for home and business use that only report bugs to the in-house computer department, which, in many cases is the same person who looks at the computer screen every day. Anyone who uses computers may one day need the assistance of bug tracking software. It is not at all uncommon for two valuable, efficient computer programs to be installed on one computer, only to find that the two programs have a few incompatibilities. Because so many files are shared on one hard drive, one program’s code may cause the other program’s reaction to the other code to be less than predictable. When this happens, the computer user can install and use bug tracking software to detect the source of the problem, and even eliminate it.
Even if the casual computer user doesn’t recognize “bug tracking” as valuable to their computer experience, it is. But trackers are what make the hundreds of tech support departments able to efficiently assist computer users as they resolve software issues that occur during normal use.