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Software Approvals For Consumer Markets?

Posted by Cliff on from the improving-software-or-hindering-development dept.

Odkin asks: "Some friends and I are struggling with a hardware project which is stalled due to costly consumer market approvals (which is alright I guess). But it struck me, why are there only market approvals for hardware and not software? The hardware approvals include functionality tests that ensure that the product works as intended in any way the user would handle it (even unsuitable use). Would such approvals for commercial software improve the quality of the products, including minimizing the risk of data loss and heightening the security? In other words, would it facilitate or inhibit the creation of good software?"

5 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. EULAs and No Programmer Liability by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    Pretty much becuase Programmers aren't considered profesionals like "Doctors" and "Lawyers" by the govts, as they can teach themselvfes, and hence are exempt from Malpractice.

    Also teh EULA especially in UCITA states shields the software company from damages. Go read just about any EULA when it talks about damages if you don't believe me.

  2. OK - I'll bite - what hoops are in your way? by rcpitt · · Score: 3, Informative
    If you're talking about UL and/or CSA or whatever then you're probably designing things wrong - this is why many such systems use a "wall-wart" power brick since that is all that needs to be certified if the power it puts out is less than 48Volts.

    If you are trying to get liability insurance, that's another thing - you can spend as much money as you have and it may not help.

    So... give us a fer instance on what you're trying to do - your box looks pretty innocuous.

    --
    Been there, done that, paid for the T-shirt
    and didn't get it
  3. Approvals are for a different purpose. by HotNeedleOfInquiry · · Score: 4, Informative
    Approvals are for specific safety and RF interference issues, not for functionality or reliability.

    The FCC/CE wants to make sure that your widget doesn't interfere with the other widgets. UL/CSA wants to make sure your widget doesn't burn the house down.

    I know that CE has some EMI susceptablilty stuff that isn't exactly safety, but for the most part, the issue is making a safe, non-interfering widget. The widget could fail in 2 days, as long as it fails safely.

    You are posing a question that is pretty much unrelated to hardware approvals.

    --
    "Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
  4. Re:Is software a bridge or a burger? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative
    Speaking of bridges...

    http://www.cs.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/pearls/sec073.ht ml

    I think every software developer should read that... perhaps annually. :-)

  5. Software used as a medical device... by nucleon · · Score: 3, Informative

    is strictly regulated by the FDA. Not only is a software company required by law to obtain premarket approval 510(k) from the FDA before marketing certain types of medical software in the US, but it is also required by law to document and follow a very thorough software development and validation process.

    Although this kind of software is usually not sold to the general public, it is used every day in hospitals and clinics to do everything from analyzing bacterial infections to robotic surgery to radiation oncology treatment planning.

    I have worked for several software companies, developing software that is considered a class II medical device. Not only did we have to completely document everything from requirements to validation testing, but we had to keep the documents themselves under version control! Knowing that your software could mean life or death to someone, really puts the software engineering process into perspective.