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From: dcw@guam.emspnc.att.com (dcw)
Subject: Re: Certification of Computer Scientists
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References: <3srsn5$q8d@galaxy.ucr.edu> <41tm9n$575@ <adaworksDE5C3E.L8o@netcom.com> <42i4fo$1692@locutus.rchland.ibm.com>
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 1995 14:31:27 GMT
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Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.edu:14126 comp.lang.ada:34590 comp.lang.c++:147870 comp.lang.modula2:12549 comp.lang.scheme:13678

In article <42i4fo$1692@locutus.rchland.ibm.com>,
Jonathan Allan <kpa@mill2.millcomm.com> wrote:
>In article <adaworksDE5C3E.L8o@netcom.com>, adaworks@netcom.com (AdaWorks) writes:
>[slice] 
>|> Bright programmers sometimes write dumb programs. Some novice
>|> programmers write brilliant software.  Each program must be
>|> evaluated on its actual merits rather than on the reputation 
>|> of its author. 
>
>I agree.
>
>|> Programmers don't kill. Programs do.
>
>Yes, but if you get sued by someone whos relative was
>killed by a program you wrote in whole or in part, you'd 
>better get the NRAs legal beagles behind you...  ;-))
>
>Jonathan Allan

It seems to me that any such liability suit would be "interesting" (in the 
Chinese sense of the word -- "May you live in interesting times").  The 
plaintiff would, IMHO, have to show that the program itself was inherently
liable for the death or injury.  In other words, that the program was 
written such that the machine or device operator could not have anticipated
or prevented the damage.

Of course, the Therac25 case demonstrates that this is possible, but it 
would be rather difficult to prove, I think, particularly if one considers
hardware safeguards as well.  In any event, I'm still not convinced that 
certifying software professionals would do anything to reduce this sort of
risk.  Certifying the process used to produce the software might, but I 
don't see how certifying the people would change anything.

Even Ada, with all of its support for good software engineering technique,
doesn't guarantee that the product produced is reliable.


(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

David Willett               AT&T Advanced Technology Systems
                            Greensboro, NC	USA


My opinions (expressed above) are not necessarily those of AT&T

William Safire's Rules for Writers

Number one: Remember to never split an infinitive.

