[Tfug] No warranty for software

[sitkaa at email.arizona.edu]

Because.


Quoting Bexley Hall <bexley401 at yahoo.com>:

> --- sitkaa at email.arizona.edu wrote:
>
>> Okay, so if a computer has a software glitch, the
>> computer software is expected to be fixed, hopefully
>> ASAP or at least in the next update.
>
> No, that's the point -- I don't think people *do*
> expect it to be fixed!  Or, if they expect it to
> be fixed, they ALSO expect that "fix" to hve OTHER
> problems.
>
>> Computer software is already so complex, mistakes
>> are bound to happen.
>
> That attitude is part of the problem.  :<  Automobiles
> are very complex.  Yet, you don't EXPECT them to
> suddenly shift into reverse while you re driving down
> the street.  And, if something (even a SMALL
> something)
> isn't quite right when you buy a vehicle, you bitch
> to the dealer and either expect it to be repaired or
> expect to be compensated for it.
>
>> However if a cell phone, IPOD, or other single use
>> device, with simpler software, and a not-so-readily
>> updatable programatic interface has a glitch,
>> people are more likely to be upset with the device.
>
> I don't think I would consider a cell phone a
> "single use device"  :>  And, I would claim that
> these applications are considerably more complex than
> you'd imagine -- they have *real* constraints
> (you can't swap to disk when you run out of memory;
> and, you can't drop an interrupt because you were
> "too busy" doing something else, etc.  Plus, you have
> to fit in a very severely constrained physical
> package (which limits what sort of resources you
> *can* have available) along with power constraints,
> etc.  (e.g., choices of algorithms can have big
> impacts on power, EMI, etc.)
>
> Also, cell phones are *easily* updateable -- since
> they are provided by the service provider and that
> provider's facilities are in direct contact with
> that device "daily".
>
>> I don't like it when Microsoft melts down, but I can
>> fix it, even if I have to
>> rebuild the system from scratch (as I am right now
>> on my laptop). I don't have
>> that option with a cellphone or IPOD. Or is this
>> changing?
>
> Again, my analogy seems to have missed the mark.
> *Forget* the OS.  Look at JUST the MP3 player
> APPLICATION.  That application, embodied in a
> physical mp3 player, is regarded to a higher
> standard than that same application RUNNING
> ON YOUR PC.
>
> Why?
>
>
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