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Wednesday, 9 November 2005
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Cory Doctorow:
Simson Garfinkel rounds up the ten worst software bugs in the history
of the world. A surpsiting number of these resulted in human deaths.
1982 -- Soviet gas pipeline. Operatives working for the
Central Intelligence Agency allegedly (.pdf) plant a bug in a Canadian
computer system purchased to control the trans-Siberian gas pipeline.
The Soviets had obtained the system as part of a wide-ranging effort to
covertly purchase or steal sensitive U.S. technology. The CIA
reportedly found out about the program and decided to make it backfire
with equipment that would pass Soviet inspection and then fail once in
operation. The resulting event is reportedly the largest non-nuclear
explosion in the planet's history.
Tog has been writing a series of articles on bugs since last December. He even has a photo of the first bug ever.
See also his article on interfaces that kill, which shows how a poorly designed interface was responsible for the death of John Denver.
Link [Boing Boing]
11:19:17 PM 
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A Queensland state Liberal parliamentarian has suggested daylight
saving cost a young Queenslander his place in a popular televised
talent quest.
We wuz robbed! they say.
[ABC News: Offbeat (with Mpeg1)]
10:55:13 PM
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© Copyright 2005 Peter Nixon.
Last update: 4/12/05; 10:02:43 PM.
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