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ZNFYRH · Oct 22, 2007, 10:13 am

Robot Cannon Kills 9, Wounds 14 on Danger Room

Quote:

The South African National Defence Force "is probing whether a software glitch led to an antiaircraft cannon malfunction that killed nine soldiers and seriously injured 14 others during a shooting exercise on Friday."

Milton Bradley · Oct 22, 2007, 11:59 am

Zoiks Scoob!

It seems an inevitability at this point.

Funny how some of us just don't trust technology, while others want it piloting their car.

**Jack** · Oct 22, 2007, 12:00 pm

That's a Windows feature, not a bug.

ZNFYRH · Oct 22, 2007, 12:32 pm

What gets me is that I've never heard of software just jumping from one set of commands to another.

Not in years and years.

When software is broken, it doesn't short circuit like that. The program just stops.

And why didn't they just unplug the thing?

Thanatos · Oct 22, 2007, 03:44 pm

Quote:

Quote by: ZNFYRH

What gets me is that I've never heard of software just jumping from one set of commands to another.

Not in years and years.

When software is broken, it doesn't short circuit like that. The program just stops.

And why didn't they just unplug the thing?

Really? I see software do the impossible all the time. Then again, I use Microsoft...

Being serious, any sufficiently complex system becomes essentially unpredictable. The bigger the chunk of code the harder it is to predict all the ways it can fail. There's also the fact that due to hardware issues or bad power or such computers don't always do exactly what you tell them to.

ZNFYRH · Oct 22, 2007, 03:59 pm

True.

But when firing requires a physical button be pressed...

And their inability to cut the power to the thing...

... really raises eyebrows for me.

Oct 22, 2007, 12:00 pm	#3 (permalink) (top)
Jack formerly Isherwood Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 13,335	That's a Windows feature, not a bug. The Forum Rules Radical Atheist Heathen Queer Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be. (Ashleigh Brilliant)

Oct 22, 2007, 12:32 pm	#4 (permalink) (top)
ZNFYRH Volcanic Erupter Posts: 4,375	What gets me is that I've never heard of software just jumping from one set of commands to another. Not in years and years. When software is broken, it doesn't short circuit like that. The program just stops. And why didn't they just unplug the thing? IT'S A BOY!!

Oct 22, 2007, 03:59 pm	#6 (permalink) (top)
ZNFYRH Volcanic Erupter Posts: 4,375	True. But when firing requires a physical button be pressed... And their inability to cut the power to the thing... ... really raises eyebrows for me. IT'S A BOY!!

Oct 22, 2007, 11:59 am	#2 (permalink) (top)
Milton Bradley BANNED Location: Ohio Province, Rep. of Comerica Posts: 7,320	Zoiks Scoob! It seems an inevitability at this point. Funny how some of us just don't trust technology, while others want it piloting their car.