Why Do Computers Still Crash?

geoff lane asks: "I've used computers for about 30 years and over that time their hardware reliability has improved (but not that much), but their software reliability has remained largely unchanged. Sometimes a company gets it right -- my Psion 3a has never crashed despite being switched on and in use for over five years, but my shiny new Zaurus crashed within a month of purchase (a hard reset losing all data was required to get it running again). Of course, there's no need to mention Microsoft's inability to create a stable system. So, why are modern operating systems still unable to deal with and recover from problems? Is the need for speed preventing the use of reliable software design techniques? Or is modern software just so complex that there is always another unexpected interaction that's not understood and not planned for? Are we using the wrong tools (such as C) which do not provide the facilities necessary to write safe software?" If we were to make computer crashes a thing of the past, what would we have to do, both in our software and in our operating systems, to make this come to pass?

Comments

Yet another "end user"

[Stonent1]

Who equates computer with Windows(tm)

Re:Simple, yes, for other reasons

[Zork the Almighty]

Jets are complex too. So is the Space Shuttle.

I notice that although you go on to talk about jets, you don't seem to mention the Space Shuttle again...

Bullshit.

[fruity1983]

All you people who can't keep a Windows 2k or XP box running for longer than 2 days have something wrong with you.

Either you are lying, which I think is entirely plausible. Linus users generally seem to me to be about 60% as neurotic and obsessive as Mac users. You guy's should form a religion - you already have the frighteningly blind faith.

Or you are unable to learn how to install a driver correctly in windows, which has got to be something to the tenth magnitude easier than in Linux, which I think is implausible.

My Win2k box goes for weeks at a time without a reset. And yeah, I run applications on it; games, 3D modelling tools, CAD package, many other CPU and system intensive programs.

And furthermore, I by no means consider myself a technologically elite person. I can replace all my own hardware, install all my own software and keep that software updated, but I don't have the need or desire to learn how to use the Linus command line, or write custom assembly for my Radeon.

What I am basically saying is that if you are unable to run a stable Windows system, it is entirely yours, or the people who use your computers' fault. You cant blame MS, cause no one I personally know has had these problems since WinME.

Re:Whose computers still crash?

[jhdsl]

It would be just as silly to compare WindowsXP to a 1997 version of any *nix out there.

Yes I agree. Now comparing XP to Unix from say 1987 would prehaps be fair to XP.