Post 1595666 by USBloveDog@cybre.space
 (DIR) More posts by USBloveDog@cybre.space
 (DIR) Post #1591502 by Elizafox@mst3k.interlinked.me
       2018-11-29T21:03:38Z
       
       0 likes, 2 repeats
       
       Every programmer should be required to learn about Therac-25 and the Ariane 5 explosion. And if they laugh at those and don't take lessons away from it, they don't deserve to be programmers.
       
 (DIR) Post #1592485 by smallsees@social.dropbear.xyz
       2018-11-29T21:58:13Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @Elizafox Thanks for both references.That sort of thing is important.A lifetime ago, I was a training signals engineer for the railways. Back then, you build computer like systems called interlockings.Early in the cadetship they tell you how stuff fails and the subsequent deaths. Therac failure reminds me of an interlocking failure which occurred if the signalman pushed two buttons close together. I think the lesson there was just because you told the points to move doesn't mean they did.
       
 (DIR) Post #1595614 by fuzzface@mastodon.technology
       2018-11-29T21:14:50Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @Elizafox Here is a (slightly dated) list of similar examples http://www.cse.psu.edu/~gxt29/bug/softwarebug.html#therac
       
 (DIR) Post #1595615 by fuzzface@mastodon.technology
       2018-11-29T21:34:22Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @Elizafox Here is a working copy of the article about the voice switch problem at Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) in Palmdale, CA. The center is responsible for monitoring aircraft at high altitude in Southern California, Southern Nevada and chunks of AZ and UT.https://spectrum.ieee.org/aerospace/aviation/lost-radio-contact-leaves-pilots-on-their-own
       
 (DIR) Post #1595616 by freakazoid@retro.social
       2018-11-29T21:50:00Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @fuzzface @Elizafox A good reminder that, if you haven't tested your backups, you don't have backups.
       
 (DIR) Post #1595647 by orb@cryptids.online
       2018-11-30T00:07:59Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       @Elizafox cargo cult programming basically describes the current internet
       
 (DIR) Post #1595666 by USBloveDog@cybre.space
       2018-11-30T01:11:12Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @fuzzface @Elizafox A common thread seems to be overflow errors, likely introduced due to memory limitations encouraging use of overly-small integers.