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Mars Failures: Bad luck or Bad Programs?

Posted by Hemos on from the what-makes-the-machine dept.

HobbySpacer writes "One European mission is on its way to Mars and two US landers will soon launch. They face tough odds for success. Of 34 Mars missions since the start of the space age, 20 have failed. This article looks at why Mars is so hard. It reports, for example, that a former manager on the Mars Pathfinder project believes that "Software is the number one problem". He says that since the mid-70s "software hasnâ(TM)t gone anywhere. There isnâ(TM)t a project that gets their software done."" Or maybe it has to do with being an incredible distance, on an inhumane climate. Either or.

7 of 389 comments (clear)

  1. fp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    son of a bitch

    suck my off, niggers

  2. The Troll Police by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Textbook troll.

    1. Re:The Troll Police by InvaderSkooge · · Score: -1, Offtopic

      So now "troll" applies to anyone who fails to be funny?

      --
      Erik
      YOU ARE SAYING IMPUDENCE TO ME! THAT IS IMPUDENCE!
  3. Re:It'll make me think twice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    BlueTooth?! What are you doing here, you were announced to be dying yesterday!

  4. BUSH = MANIPULATION by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic



    Mr. Powell, appearing on Fox News, noted that the mobile biological laboratories found by American forces bore great resemblance to those he described to the United Nations in February. "I would put before you exhibit A, the mobile biological labs that we have found," he said. `Now, people are saying, well, are they truly mobile biological labs? Yes, they are."

    So far, however, there has been no evidence that the labs were ever put into use in producing the critical materials for biological weapons.

  5. Re:I think it's the metric system by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    novavon909@hotmail.com

    this is a spam trap. if you have any spam. feel free to forward it.

  6. Re:Software is Hard by EvilTwinSkippy · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    Concepts schmoncepts. Conceptually solving a problem is of absolutely no use in the real world unless is backed up by a sufficient understanding of reality as to implement it.

    I have years ago conceptually solved all of the worlds problems. We have to get rid of money and develop a form of exchange that better reflects the difference between necessity (capital) and luxury (funny money). You can't "borrow" 20 metric tons of grain, and amortize it over 5 years. If you leave it in a bin, you don't grow more. Indeed, it goes bad. The problem with money is that it accumulates, like a heavy metal or oil-soluble poisen. It corrupts whatever it has accumulated in, and concentrates at the top of the food chain.

    What is needed is a system for moving essential materials through a common rate of exchange that decays naturally. We also need a separate system for reward that is redeemed in a different way. This way, if someone is trying to horde money, they can only build of the phony stuff.

    That analysis is worthless. I have no means of making this new concept a reality. Even if I did, who is to say that it's not going to cause the same problems as the old system, or just different manifestations of the same problem?

    --
    "Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
    --Dr.W.Edwards Deming