[Info-vax] Meditech in the news

[Dave Froble]

On 1/10/2022 1:16 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
> On 2022-01-07, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>> On 1/7/2022 2:46 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>> On 2022-01-07, Dave Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Some people may prefer to have the computer do as much of the work as possible.
>>>> While you may prefer something like Ada, many do not agree with you.
>>>>
>>>
>>> When you are writing critical applications, you don't take the
>>> quick approach but you take the robust approach.
>>>
>>> Simon.
>>>
>>
>> Are you implying that computers cannot be robust?
>>
>
> Please see the HPE caused disaster that Arne has posted.
>
> That should never have happened and based on what has been posted
> would not have happened if a simple bash switch had been turned on.
>
> Unfortunately, it looks like someone took the quick approach
> when developing that script. Given how critical it was that script
> worked correctly, it should have been designed with a robustness
> first mindset and should have been reviewed to allow suggestions for
> how to make the script as robust as possible.
>
> Simon.
>

I agree with you, but, poor programming and mistakes can happen in any language.

It is up to the programmer to do his/her job.

Yes, the tools could be better.  An example.

Basic will produce a compiler listing with all kinds of information.  I have 
written programs to evaluate those listings.  One such task is to attempt to 
identify variables that are not set, or referenced only once, and such.  What 
I've asked myself is, if the compiler has all that information, why doesn't it 
do the job that I've done.  It surely could tell me to look at some possible 
trouble spots.

Yes, the tools could always be better.

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
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