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

technomage plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Sun, 25 May 2003 16:43:00 -0700


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I remember these cases.

I'd like to go into diving myself, but my visual impaired pretty much puts 
paid to that idea (no scuba shop or educational fascility will teach me due 
to "insurance concerns")..

still, with more than 5 lawsuits all alleging the same problem, its definitely 
a case of defective siftware endangering lives (and MS Windows is no 
exception).

Mage

On Sunday 25 May 2003 01:59 pm, David Mandala wrote:
> 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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- -- 
I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or 
numbered!
My life is my own - No. 6
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