Stop using the term “software glitch”

Posted on September 15, 2006
Filed Under Software Eng |

Wired News: Glitch Leads to Segway Recall

Segway is recalling all 23,500 of the self-balancing scooters it has shipped because of a software glitch that can make its wheels unexpectedly reverse direction, throwing off the rider — and in at least one incident, break some teeth.

You would not call a design flaw that weakens the structural integrity of the Segway a glitch, same goes for software! That is like calling the Ford Explorer/Firestone tire separation rollovers a rubber glitch. In general, people find software too complex to understand. Instead of acknowledging the complexity, it is trivialised using terms like glitch or bug. Society will not reach a critical mass requiring reliable software in embedded physical devices if failures are described using those terms. Those software failures can result in physical or financial damages. In particular for safety critical systems, software failures can result in catostrophic loss.

Another similar example, Software glitch stalls some Toyota hybrids | Cnet.com. At least the article ends with a discussion of reliability of the ever increasing use of microcontrollers that are replacing previously mechanical systems and providing new control capabilities.

Comments

4 Responses to “Stop using the term “software glitch””

  1. Jay P on September 15th, 2006 22:15

    If only there were some group of people, academic maybe, working towards more reliable software and software practices. We can dream! :)

  2. mhp on October 2nd, 2006 9:28

    The problem is not coming up with the methods in academia, it is getting industry to use them, and use them correctly.

  3. mhp’s musings » CBC.ca Feedback works, maybe on October 12th, 2006 10:54

    […] If you recall my gripe about software “glitches”, well a few days later this article came down my river of news: CBC.ca - CIBC bank machines working after software glitch. […]

  4. This is not Software Engineering, why not? » mhp’s musings on March 8th, 2007 21:49

    […] all 3. But alas this issue is being described by most of the media as a “glitch” (my previous thoughts on this). So the importance gets dismissed on society, and only society can demand more for the people […]

Leave a Reply