d2r: code that kills

code that kills

Tangentially related to my ethics and computer science rant from some time ago, Scott Rosenberg has an interesting article in Salon on the problems of software on military systems. Quote:

"When everyone decides for themselves what frequency to use, what protocols to use, what standards to use, then you get systems that don't talk to each other. And it's killing us."

That sort of lament is a staple at technology conferences, and its dire language is usually a matter of executive hyperbole: Somewhere in corporate America, perhaps, a bottom line is breathing its last, and we're supposed to care.

But when the speaker is in uniform, and the incompatible systems he's describing belong to the armed forces, then you sit up straight in your seat and realize that the words are meant all too literally. As Adm. Michael Sharp of the U.S. Navy went on to say, in a talk last month in Salt Lake City, "Software errors, timing errors, can get real critical -- killing the wrong people, or not killing the right people and leaving our people unprotected."

Here's David Cook, senior research scientist at Aegis Technologies: "It has been said that, without software, the F-16C is nothing more than a $15 million lawn dart. There are stories that I know for a fact of airplanes that have been flying cross-country that land at a base that's not where they're supposed to land, and while they're there, somebody modifies the software. And the airplane flat stops in midair when they turn on the radar unit. Why? Because there are incompatible versions of this certain piece of radar software, one of which they never thought would be on that particular model."

$15 million lawn darts indeed. Tiny problem is, lawn darts usually don't run around at Mach 2, or come loaded with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. And that's just one example...

Categories: technology
Posted by diego on May 12 2004 at 12:14 PM

Comments (please see the comments & trackback policy).

That is a scary thought... but fortunately, one of the requirements of a real time operating system (RTOS) is that the system keeps on running even if a critical error occurs. Military devices and/or plane(fighters/shuttle/commercial) have even more strict requirement... the system should not shut down under any circumstances. So far, those requirements have been met.

Military and/or planes do not run on Java/C/etc or use Intel/AMD/PowerPC/etc processors. processosor. They use Jovial. You can google that word for more info.

So I wouldn't worry about some lame research scientist making speculations because thats what they are there to do... research speculations and publish results without a solution... like those environmental scientists do... greenhouse effect will melt ice cap... what!!! greenhouse effect will do that... omg what will me do... well we can reduce greenhouse effect... lemme me get this straight, you spend millions on research funding and then tell me 'reduce greenhouse effect' I could have told you that with just my two cent worth thought...

Posted by: NC at May 15, 2004 12:08 PM

Military and/or planes do not run on Java/C/etc or use Intel/AMD/PowerPC/etc processors. processosor. They use Jovial. You can google that word for more info.

Posted by: NC at May 15, 2004 12:09 PM