Re: Is Linux right for Embedded?

[Preben Randhol <randhol+abuse@pvv.org>]

On Wed, 3 Oct 2001 17:09:35 -0400, Marin David Condic wrote:
> Fair enough - but keep in mind this fundamental principle of engineering:
> "Not All Things Worth Doing Are Worth Doing Well."

Unfortunately a large part of the software industry has taken it as
"Release It Yesterday, Consumers Are Used To Bugs" I would say.

> Or phrased another way: "'Good Enough' Is Not Nearly So Wonderful A Thing As
> 'Perfect', But Its Good Enough!"
> 
> Everything you say is true, but when talking to people who develop
> throw-away code, the emphasis should be on time-to-market and reliability
> rather than long-term benefits such as reduced maintenance or reusable code.

I cannot see that Ada wouldn't accommodate on all these areas. :-)

> Otherwise, folks in a fast-moving throw-away market may find the argument
> interesting, but not compelling.

My hope is that the folks in the fast-moving throw-away market are
throwing themselves out with the bath water :-) I mean "Good Enough"
isn't "Good Enough" for the comsumer when he suddenly finds himself with
a negative bank account on Monday morning due to an software error in a
banks software which is fixed soonest next day more likely next week. Or 

I don't expect the Software Industry to clean up its act themselves. I'm
hoping the consumers take action and start realizing that it _may_ be
cheaper in the long run to pay for good quality and avoid all costy
troubles in the future that cheap JIT code gives. It is funny as I just
see now that Microsoft is saying that they will "Step Up Software
Security"
(http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2001-10-03-019-20-SC-MS). I
guess the only reason for this statement is recent suggestions from
Gartner Group (and others) that consumers should replace Windows with
other OSes due to poor security.

Preben Randhol