[Ticket#: 2006040510000641] Re: [OT] Articles to read

[David Burgun]

On 7 Apr 2006, at 03:38, David Vaughan wrote:

>
>> I'm sorry, but my expectations of software is higher.  I get so  
>> tired of
>> hearing B.S. and excuses as to why software isn't or can't be bug  
>> free.
> Software is a creative product of staggering complexity, one whose  
> reliability has increased enormously over the years. One way of  
> putting it is that the boundaries of capability have been pushed  
> over the years while the rise in bugs has been disproportionately low.

Over what years are you talking about? I really can't see this, for  
instance:

When I first started in programming we used assembler on Mini- 
Computers, and had to install the system at the User's site and it  
would take maybe a week to "commission" the system. During that week  
a post sales support person would test all the new features the  
customer had requested and wouldn't sign it off unless they worked  
100%. In this case it was back to the office and bug-fixing, until it  
did work. Bugs that slipped through the net were then fixed as soon  
as they were reported. Back then, programmers used to get paid a  
bonus for shipping bug free code, that bonus would decrease as the  
bug count increased. It was even possible to go into negative bonus  
which would be subtracted from bonus of the next project.

When I first started of the Mac, the software was must more robust  
and bug free.

To be honest I reckon the Internet is in part responsible for the  
buggy software we see today, it's way too easy to provide a bug-fix  
release! If the company had to produce, EPROMS, Floppy disks or CDs  
with bug containing software updates then they'd take more care about  
shipping bug-free software!

All the Best
Dave