History's Worst Software Bugs

Where you least expect them

http://wired.com/news/technology/bugs/0,2924,69355,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1
from WinCustomize Forums
Wired has a really interesting article on History's Worst Software Bugs.  These bugs aren't where you would normally expect them (i.e. in PC's) but rather in serious real-world applications such as space probes, gas pipelines, etc. 
7,451 views 15 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bah, I'm a human compiler, bugs don't exist in my programs! I actually said that in my Computer Science course...but I digress...I hope I don't create any bugs as big as these guys
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for the lead. Really good article. Interesting to know where "bugs" come from. Yeah, Im slow.
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"The bug ultimately costs Intel $475 million."

Funny.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Less funny are the ones where people lost their lives, particularly the Therac-25 incident. I'd read about that before (and the more recent one with the blocking), but not the more detailed description of exactly how (and in how many ways) the Therac-25 failed. It just goes to show, software is complicated stuff - and greatly moreso nowadays than it was then. About the only people who get anywhere near close to achieving perfection are NASA, and even they have their (widely-publicised) problems.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hum.. Thats pretty wild. Would be a bit scary trusting your life to computer programing..
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for the link, that was a pretty fun read.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for the link. I love reading. I drink lots of coffee and stay up weeee hours in the morning, so I need all the help I can get to busy myself. Bad thing is, aren't most coding errors just a single missing character in a string?
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Nice reading this,just shows that there is always some more work to do...
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think we 'trust' out lived to computer programming everyday... just look at cars.
All those 300C's and Magnums rolling off the factory floor with rear wheel drive?

LOL

Why do you think rear wheel drive is now the hot thing?
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Does Windows 95 count as a software bug?
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Does Windows 95 count as a software bug?

Several thousand of them, no doubt. But let's face it: All commercial software of any non-triviality has bugs. It is a simple fact that there is never enough time to fix them all and add the new features that people demand. The trick is balancing the two by figuring out what bugs to spend the time to fix and what features to implement (and the price of the product) without people not wanting to buy your product because it is too buggy.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Does Windows 95 count as a software bug?


Windows 95 was more stable than Windows ME...
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Does Windows 95 count as a software bug?


Definately!
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I hope the Therac-25 isn't the linear accellerator they are using for my radiotherapy (I had a brain tumor, it's true!)