Errors, Mistakes, and Awareness, Part 2: The Cost of Failures

Advisor

Errors, Mistakes, and Awareness, Part 2: The Cost of Failures

Posted August 29, 2006 | | Amplify

In Part 1 of this Advisor series (see "Errors, Mistakes, and Awareness, Part 1: Errors and Mistakes," 16 August 2006), I made a distinction among human mistakes, software faults, and failures. When we automate something with a fault, it can repeat endlessly with the same erroneous result, as in the story of the sorcerer's apprentice who created an automaton with one desired effect -- fetching water -- but did not know how to stop it.

About The Author

Patrick OBeirne

Patrick O'Beirne has been managing director of Systems Modelling Limited since 1981. His current focus is spreadsheet systems modeling and auditing services as well as IT consultancy. He is current chair of the European Spreadsheet Risks Interest Group (EuSpRIG) and of SoftTest Ireland, and a fellow of the Irish Computer Society. He advised the ECDL Foundation on the content of a syllabus for a new certification in good spreadsheet practices.… Read More

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Errors, Mistakes, and Awareness, Part 2: The Cost of Failures

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