(Fwd) [IP] MS Windows Crash Traps Thai Politician in Car

[David Mandala]

Don't know if this killed anyone but sure crippled them.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/05/25/MN309974.DTL

Defective software combined with bad management. That said I don't think
professional licensing will do anything to help anymore then sysadmin
certifications guarantee quality sysadmins. Just means they are good at
taking tests.

Cheers,

Davidm

On Sun, 2003-05-25 at 11:02, Vaughn Treude wrote:
> George
> 
> Actually, I think that faulty software HAS killed people.  I've heard of at 
> least one case (possiblly two) in which X-ray-like machines malfunctioned due 
> to software and a few patients were give overdoses,  which I think was fatal 
> in some cases.  I also heard that the company was not sued because of their 
> EULA.  Unfortunately, I don't recall the name of the device or the company or 
> the specifics, but I'm pretty sure I read this in an online article.  If 
> anybody out there has the specifics, let me know.   (Or if I later remember 
> where I read it, I'll post the link.) Anyway, it's ironic because all 
> medically-related software goes through a very stringent certification 
> processes with the FDA.  Does this mean they were not stringent enough, or 
> that, as I like to argue, that the government isn't competent to determine 
> issues like medical product safety?
> 
> I just don't think professional licensing works.  We've all heard the horror 
> stories of totally incompetent doctors and lawyers being shielded from public 
> scrutiny by the medical boards that were supposed to be disciplining them.  
> There was an outcry, and many state agenencies (especially Arizona's 
> notoriously inept Board of Medical Examiners) have become much stricter, but 
> how long will this last?  Private, third-party voluntary certification is a 
> better idea.  While no system is perfect, this would give the public some 
> measure of protection without giving the government power to restrict 
> competition or stifle innovation.  And I'd bet my last dollar that free 
> software would be one of the first things to go under a system that licensed 
> software developers.
> 
> Vaughn
> 
> 
> On Sunday 25 May 2003 03:08, you wrote:
> > This is a glimmer of the future, and the source of my rant for wanting
> > software "engineers" (now they call themselves developers) to go through
> > stringent licensing, just like real engineers and architects.
> >
> > We've already seen how a BSOD shutdown a Navy ship's propulsion system.
> > If this were in battle, the results would be horrific.
> >
> > How long will it be before faulty software kills people?
> >
> > George
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David IS Mandala
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