Can Software Kill?

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Posted by ryuzaki0 on Tuesday March 9, 2004 @08:52AM from the of-course dept.

mykepredko writes "Eweek has an interesting, if somewhat long article titled Can Software Kill? The article focuses on a programming error that resulted in 28 Panamanian cancer patients receiving many times an expected lethal dose of radiation. The article briefly mentions, but doesn't go into detail, the 1991 Patriot Missile Failure that resulted in the deaths of 28 American service men and women."

31 of 562 comments (clear)

Sure it can kill. by grub · 2004-03-09 08:53 · Score: 5, Funny

Can Software Kill?

Certainly. A complete set of Novell manuals dropped from 40 stories up packs the same kinetic energy as a 10 car freight train moving at 80 km/h.

--
Trolling is a art,
1. Re:Sure it can kill. by micromoog · 2004-03-09 08:56 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Given the choice between that and actually reading them, I'll take the 40 stories. At least then I have an outside chance of survival.
2. Re:Sure it can kill. by Like2Byte · 2004-03-09 08:56 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I don't believe you. Could you run that MythBusters?
3. Re:Sure it can kill. by mkmoose · 2004-03-09 09:01 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Sure save yourself - but what chance did the hundreds of trees have? They were all killed to produce that documentation!
4. Re:Sure it can kill. by Charlton+Heston · 2004-03-09 09:03 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Any tree that would voluntarily take part in Novel documentation deserved to die.
  
  --
  Get your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape
5. Re:Sure it can kill. by maxwell+demon · 2004-03-09 09:21 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  He was talking about throwing the manual, not the terminal. Although being hit by a terminal thrown from a few stories high might actually be terminal as well.
  
  --
  The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
6. Re:Sure it can kill. by myowntrueself · 2004-03-09 10:10 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Terminal velocity is a funny one eh...
  
  For example, on the moon there is no terminal velocity as there is no atmosphere.
  
  Hence, when teenagers go to the moon (one day) there will doubtless be fatalities due to "Hey its low gravity! I can jump off this mountain and just float down! Hey watch this!" *splat*
  
  --
  In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
Software that kills... by bmorton · 2004-03-09 08:53 · Score: 5, Funny

Apparently it can only kill people in groups of only 28.
1. Re:Software that kills... by fizban · 2004-03-09 08:55 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Yeah, 7-bit operating systems kill in groups of 28. 8-bit systems kill in groups of 32.
  
  --
  +1 Insightful, -1 Troll. What can I say, I'm an Insightful Troll.
2. Re:Software that kills... by Adriax · 2004-03-09 08:55 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  That's a hardware limitation they hope to have fixed before too long.
  
  --
  I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!
3. Re:Software that kills... by Zone-MR · 2004-03-09 08:58 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  7 bits = 128 combinations
  8 bits = 256 combinations
  
  Perhaps you were talking bits per set of nibbles ;)
  
  Oh, it was a joke.
answer to subject: by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-09 08:53 · Score: 4, Funny

No.

Next story please, does it look like I have work to do?
1. Re:answer to subject: by Zone-MR · 2004-03-09 09:03 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  No?
  
  You clearely haven't seen my coding, have you?
2. Re:answer to subject: by maxwell+demon · 2004-03-09 09:03 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Not even if it's a killer app?
  
  --
  The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
3. Re:answer to subject: by IthnkImParanoid · 2004-03-09 09:06 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  That's right. Remember people, needless personification makes the baby jesus cry. Irony intentional.
  
  --
  It's nothing but crumpled porno and Ayn Rand.
Why 28 deaths? by _xs_ · 2004-03-09 08:53 · Score: 4, Funny

Is 28 deaths the level at which we get concerned?
Lethal Weapon by AtariAmarok · 2004-03-09 08:54 · Score: 4, Funny

If software is outlawed, only outlaws will have software.

--
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Of course! by zuikaku · 2004-03-09 08:54 · Score: 5, Funny

One must be very careful when you kill -9!
1. Re:Of course! by ackthpt · 2004-03-09 09:09 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  One must be very careful when you kill -9!
  Why? what happens when you ki
  NO CARRIER
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
2. Re:Of course! by iantri · 2004-03-09 10:21 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Or if you really hate cats, "killall cat".
  On an only somewhat unrelated note, my alarm clock is "cat `slocate *.au` /dev/dsp", which I cancel by stumbling out of bed every morning while the thing screeches and generally makes a racket and typing "killall cat".
  For some reason I have murderous urges whenever I see a cat..
Tonight on Fox... by The+I+Shing · 2004-03-09 08:55 · Score: 5, Funny

Tonight on Fox...

WHEN SOFTWARE ATTACKS!
with host Mitch Pileggi

--
You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
It can only be attributed to human error by Trolling4Dollars · 2004-03-09 09:00 · Score: 4, Funny

The article focuses on a programming error that resulted in 28 Panamanian cancer patients receiving many times an expected lethal dose of radiation.

So are you saying they INTENDED to kill their patients and this software just did it more efficiently? ;P

--
Un-news
Re:Software? no - humans, yes. by jhoger · 2004-03-09 09:03 · Score: 3, Funny

Well until those Martian leeches start contributing to CVS the distinction is probably irrelevant.

-- John.
More FUD by Darl by rock_climbing_guy · 2004-03-09 09:05 · Score: 1, Funny

I suppose that Darl McBride is trying to further his claims that his enemies are out to kill him, eh?

--
Wh47 d1d j00 541, 31337 15n't t3h r0xor5 ne m0r3???
It can kill in the movies, it must be true! by MalaclypseTheYounger · 2004-03-09 09:06 · Score: 2, Funny

Dave: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.

--
Check out the best P2P sharing website: MEDIACHEST.COM
Bad, sensationalized article title. by matastas · 2004-03-09 09:07 · Score: 3, Funny

Good job with the Terminator images in everyone's heads.

Software does not kill. Bad engineering and poor implementation kills. My copy of Windows XP, while still radiating pure evil, has not managed to pop open the gun cabinet.

You might as well ask the question, 'can the old saddlebag gas tanks on Ford Rangers kill? Gasp!'
Is this what you meant? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-09 09:09 · Score: 5, Funny

Microsoft Windows: A thirty-two bit extension and graphical shell to a sixteen-bit patch to an eight-bit operating system originally coded for a four-bit microprocessor which was written by a two-bit company that can't stand one bit of competition

-- author unknown
Yes, its tragic... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-03-09 09:11 · Score: 1, Funny

But wouldnt "massive dosses of gamma raise" cause all of the cancer patients to turn into the incredible hulk?
Re:EULA's by Jaysyn · 2004-03-09 09:44 · Score: 2, Funny

I think you mean the drivers next of kin.

Jaysyn

--
There is a war going on for your mind.
guns don't kill... by yet_another_user · 2004-03-09 10:56 · Score: 2, Funny

...the software controlling them do!
4 * 7 = 28; 4 * 8 = 32 by slittle · 2004-03-09 11:22 · Score: 2, Funny

Four bytes @ 7 bits is enough to store the state of 28 humans: dead(0) or alive(1).

--
Opportunity knocks. Karma hunts you down.