Bug-free software (Re: ARRRRGH! Guys, who's breaking -STABLE's GMIRROR code?!)

[Volker]

On 2006-09-11 01:33, 'Anubhav A.' wrote:
> in message <45049112.3 at vwsoft.com>, wrote Volker thusly...
>> we're talking about software. Have you ever seen a piece of software which has
>> been really bug-free? Not the hello-world, I'm talking
> 
> Recently i read about which is more than "hello-world" ...
> 
>   They Write the Right Stuff
>   http://www.fastcompany.com/online/06/writestuff.html
> 
> 
> ... but you did ask.
> 
> 
>   - Parv
> 

Interesting article but I really do not believe even the shuttle
software is 100% bug free. Just because there has been only one bug
found in the last version, does not mean it's really guaranteed to
be bug free. It's just: No one experienced one and no one discovered
one more. On the other side they do not implement much new features
every day and they do not have to care about hardware and market
changes every other day.

I suspect a lot of trouble even for NASA's mission does come from
software bugs and who knows how many lifes can be accounted for
software bugs. Remembering the first launch of a Ariane-5 rocket? It
has been self destroyed because of nothing but a software bug. Or
what about the first NAVY combat ship w/ steering controlled by
Windows NT? Out of control by a blue screen...

A developer can't always foresee the environment where his code will
later work in and that is even causing trouble.

And again, errors and mistakes are human. And those who shout out
"why didn't you test enough" should ask themself, how much have THEY
contributed to the community? The hackers are contributing enough
(my view) and are really doing a good job.

I do not care about HOW MANY bugs a beta quality piece of software
does contain but what IMHO matters is the timeframe to FIX them and
the FreeBSD project and other OS communities are good in that.

Greetings,

Volker