From: eachus@spectre.mitre.org (Robert I. Eachus)
Subject: Re: Fortran or Ada?
Date: 1998/10/02
Date: 1998-10-02T00:00:00+00:00 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <EACHUS.98Oct2160023@spectre.mitre.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: 19980928.184428.604@yktvmv.watson.ibm.com
In article <19980928.184428.604@yktvmv.watson.ibm.com> jbs@yktvmv.watson.ibm.com writes:
> It appears to me that this implicates Ada in at least two respects...
If you read a little more, you will find that it doesn't implicate
Ada or any other programming language. They followed this particular
fault tree all the way down because it occurred, not because the
rocket would have survived if it hadn't. Note later in the report
where it says that the stack was destroyed when the engine deflection
exceeded the physical stress limits of the stack (booster and
payload). Because the software was used WITHOUT CHANGE from the
Arianne 4, it contained the wrong physical parameters for the dynamic
deflection limits. This launch was a disaster waiting to happen, and
no programming language is going to save you from putting in the wrong
numbers. The particular error that occurred was just the first case
where differences between the Arianne 4 and Arianne 5 became
significant.
One last note which bears repeating. There were no programmers or
other non-management personnel at fault, because management ELIMINATED
all such positions. The inertial management unit was being reused
without change on the Arianne 5, so no developers were ever hired.
Given a choice of test methods, they chose to demonstrate that the IMU
worked. But the "full-up" simulation testing was cancelled--as a cost
saving--before the development work on the non-flight parts was
complete. No non-manager ever had both the Ariane 5 technical specs
and the flight guidance software in hand, with or without authority to
evaluate or test one against the other.
--
Robert I. Eachus
with Standard_Disclaimer;
use Standard_Disclaimer;
function Message (Text: in Clever_Ideas) return Better_Ideas is...
next prev parent reply other threads:[~1998-10-02 0:00 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 96+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
[not found] <36068E73.F0398C54@meca.polymtl.ca>
1998-09-22 0:00 ` Fortran or Ada? Gisle S{lensminde
1998-09-22 0:00 ` Jeff Templon
1998-09-22 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-23 0:00 ` Jeff Templon
1998-09-23 0:00 ` Corey Minyard
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Joel Seidman
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Craig Burley
1998-09-25 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-25 0:00 ` Jonathan Guthrie
1998-09-26 0:00 ` Craig Burley
1998-09-26 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-26 0:00 ` Craig Burley
1998-09-26 0:00 ` Robert B. Love
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Marc A. Criley
1998-09-24 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1998-09-24 0:00 ` William Clodius
1998-09-25 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-25 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-25 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1998-09-25 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-25 0:00 ` jbs
1998-09-26 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-28 0:00 ` jbs
1998-09-29 0:00 ` Dean F. Sutherland
1998-09-29 0:00 ` William B. Clodius
1998-09-30 0:00 ` jbs
1998-09-30 0:00 ` William Clodius
1998-09-30 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-09-30 0:00 ` jbs
1998-09-30 0:00 ` William Clodius
1998-10-03 0:00 ` Niklas Holsti
1998-10-03 0:00 ` Toon Moene
1998-10-03 0:00 ` Niklas Holsti
1998-10-03 0:00 ` Toon Moene
1998-10-04 0:00 ` Niklas Holsti
1998-10-05 0:00 ` Michel OLAGNON
1998-10-05 0:00 ` Ian St. John
1998-10-05 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-10-05 0:00 ` Ian St. John
1998-10-06 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-10-06 0:00 ` Ian St. John
1998-10-08 0:00 ` Offtopic Airport Diversion (Was: Fortran or Ada?) Harold Stevens ** PLEASE SEE SIG **
1998-10-08 0:00 ` Ian St. John
1998-10-08 0:00 ` Fortran or Ada? Gary L. Scott
1998-10-06 0:00 ` Toon Moene
1998-10-06 0:00 ` Jonathan Guthrie
1998-10-06 0:00 ` James Giles
1998-10-06 0:00 ` Mark A Biggar
1998-10-06 0:00 ` James Giles
1998-10-07 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-10-07 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-10-05 0:00 ` Richard D Riehle
1998-10-05 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-10-06 0:00 ` Michel OLAGNON
1998-10-07 0:00 ` Ian St. John
1998-09-29 0:00 ` Gautier.DeMontmollin
1998-09-29 0:00 ` Dean F. Sutherland
1998-09-29 0:00 ` Dean F. Sutherland
1998-10-02 0:00 ` Geoff Bull
1998-10-02 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus [this message]
1998-10-02 0:00 ` jbs
1998-10-02 0:00 ` William Clodius
1998-10-03 0:00 ` jbs
1998-10-03 0:00 ` Larry Elmore
1998-10-06 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1998-10-06 0:00 ` Pat Rogers
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Jeff Templon
1998-09-25 0:00 ` Dale Stanbrough
1998-09-30 0:00 ` Daniel Barker
1998-09-30 0:00 ` Lawrence Kirby
1998-10-01 0:00 ` Aaron Crane
1998-10-02 0:00 ` Fortran or Ada or gobbledygook? Wes Groleau
1998-10-05 0:00 ` Fortran or Ada? Terry Devine
1998-09-25 0:00 ` dewarr
[not found] ` <6udre0$ha1$1@nnrp1.dejane <6utg60$h6l$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
1998-10-01 0:00 ` robin_v
1998-09-22 0:00 ` Corey Minyard
1998-09-22 0:00 ` Larry Kilgallen
1998-09-22 0:00 ` Rakesh Malhotra
1998-09-23 0:00 ` Frank Ecke
1998-09-23 0:00 ` bglbv
1998-09-23 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Richard D Riehle
1998-09-23 0:00 Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-96
1998-09-23 0:00 ` Gisle S{lensminde
1998-09-24 0:00 ` John McCabe
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Dean F. Sutherland
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Gisle S{lensminde
1998-09-24 0:00 ` Samuel T. Harris
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
1998-09-23 0:00 Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-96
1998-09-24 0:00 Walt Brainerd
1998-09-25 0:00 ` Robert I. Eachus
1998-09-25 0:00 ` dewarr
1998-10-05 0:00 Robert I. Eachus
1998-10-05 0:00 robin
1998-10-05 0:00 Condic, Marin D.
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