video - pilot runs out of fuel, pops parachute

Larry Dighera wrote in
:

If you're a programmer, you know that nearly 50% of the code in any
project is related to error handling routines.

Or more.

Most of my code is for myself. Programming is a tool for me to be
able to accomplish something else. So for the most part I dispense
with all the extra stuff because I know what to NOT do. Although I
still have to deal with input, because a lot of my programs are
reading someone elses database and crunching the data. There's
always errors in the input that I have to look out for.

Now, for the very few programs I've intended for public consumption,
80% of the code is for the user interface and error handling.
Perhaps more. Modern GUI's are very code intensive.

Brian
--
http://www.earthwaves.org/forum/index.php - Earth Sciences discussion
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?

Skywise writes:

it reminds
me to be very very thorough when I write my software.

Being thorough doesn't prevent errors in any activity...it might only
reduce the frequency of errors.
--
Wherever there is great property, there is great inequality, for one
very rich man; there must be at least five hundred poor.
~ Adam Smith

Bug Dout wrote in
:

Skywise writes:

it reminds
me to be very very thorough when I write my software.

Being thorough doesn't prevent errors in any activity...it might only
reduce the frequency of errors.

True. Rarely is software perfect. But that's no excuse NOT to
make the effort.

I'm just a little astounded that the software engnineers at Garmin
did not have account for all data inputs going out of expected ranges,
in either direction. Yeah, how can a fuel tank ever be more full than
"Full", but obviously it happened, and the system failed due to the
lack of checking.

Failure to bounds check data input is why a lot of software breaks,
or allows hackers to run malicious code. Look up "buffer overflow".

I'll make it easy for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffer_overflow

Brian
--
http://www.earthwaves.org/forum/index.php - Earth Sciences discussion
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?