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Gee Ch7-Computer Reliability Lecture

Computer systems can be unreliable due to erroneous or incorrectly interpreted data, hardware malfunctions, and software errors. This can lead to inconveniences, business issues, fatalities, disfranchised voters due to incorrect records, and false arrests due to mistaken identities in databases. Privacy advocates are concerned as more records increase the chances of more erroneous records and false arrests. Software errors can also lead to billing mistakes and system malfunctions or failures. Proper validation, testing, and quality assurance processes are important to reduce errors and improve reliability.

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60 views

Gee Ch7-Computer Reliability Lecture

Computer systems can be unreliable due to erroneous or incorrectly interpreted data, hardware malfunctions, and software errors. This can lead to inconveniences, business issues, fatalities, disfranchised voters due to incorrect records, and false arrests due to mistaken identities in databases. Privacy advocates are concerned as more records increase the chances of more erroneous records and false arrests. Software errors can also lead to billing mistakes and system malfunctions or failures. Proper validation, testing, and quality assurance processes are important to reduce errors and improve reliability.

Uploaded by

jen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COMPUTER RELIABILITY

Computer systems are sometimes unreliable


- Erroneous information in databases
 no validation of the input data; outside factors may include hackers inserting SQL or graphical user
interface was wrongly designed – encoding palang may validation na for example, letters or numbers
only; registrations
- Misinterpretation of database information (similar names)
 Do not use name as your index
 In creating a database design, ID is being created in the most unique, specific and most distinguishable
way.
- Malfunction of embedded systems (fata errors)
 Ex. A car company (Honda, or Toyota) retracted their system because of its posed threats to the
possible buyer or user

Effects of computer errors:


- Inconvenience
- Bad business systems (fatal errors or big impact)
- Fatalities

Data-Entry or Data-Retrieval Errors


 A computerized system may fail because wrong data entered into it
 A computerized system may fail because people incorrectly interpret data they retrieve
(for instance, data retrieved is correct but the interpreter misinterpreted it = user error)

Disfranchised Voters
 November 2000 general election
 Florida disqualified thousands of voters
Reason: people identified as felons (with criminal charges)
Cause: incorrect records in voter database
Consequence: may have affected election’s outcome

False Arrests: (moral damages; charges, penalties)


 Sheila Jackson Stoisser mistake for Shirley Jackson
- Arrested and spent 5 days in detention
 Roberto Hernandez mistaken for another Roberto Hernandez
- Arrested twice and spent 12 days in jail
 Terry Dean Rogan arrested after someone stole his identity
- Arrested five times, three times at gun point
** Names are really vulnerable to confusion of identity

Position of Privacy Advocates


- Number of records is increasing
- More erroneous records  more false arrests
- Accuracy of crime records more important than ever
** BE MORE CAREFUL IN GIVING OUT YOUR INFORMATION

SOFTWARE AND BILLING ERRORS


- Assume data correctly fed into computerized system (quality assurance)
- System may still fail if there is an error in its programming

ERRORS LEADING TO SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS


- Qwest sends incorrect bills to cell phone customers ($600/minute)
 A bill of more than $57,000 for a customer
- Spelling and grammar error checkers increased errors (University documents)
- BMW on-board computer failing (Thailand finance minister was trapped in his BMW)

ERRORS LEADING TO SYSTEM FAILURES


- Temporarily out-of-control BOEING 777 (Malaysian plane over the Indian ocean- autopilot error)

ANALYSIS: E-RETAILER POSTS WRONG PRICE, REFUSES TO DELIVER


- Amazon.com in Britain offered iPaq (handheld computers) for 7 euros instead of

VALIDATING SIMULATIONS
- Erroneous simulation because of
 Bugs in SW
 Model uses SW is flawed
- Solutions:
 Verification: Does program correctly implement model?
 Validation: does the model accurately represent the real system
- Validation methods
 Make prediction, wait to see if it comes true (car crash)
 Predict the present from old data (weather forecast)
 Test credibility with experts and decision makers (acceptance form from the expert)

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
- SE is a four step process:
1.) Specification: determine the functions to be performed (xrs – would lease all functionalities included in
the system)
2.) Development: produce SW that meet specs
3.) Validation: testing the SW (needs that the person assigned here is very meticulous)
4.) Evolution: modify SW to meet change requirements

SPECIFICATION:
- Followed SW Crisis in 1960s
- Specification of software
 Understand constraints
 Determine feasibility (budget and schedule)
- End products
 High-level statement of requirements (Summary)
 Mock-up of user interface
 Low-level requirements statement (detailed)

DEVELOPMENT:
- Create high-level design
- Discover and resolve mistakes, omissions in specifications
- CASE tools to support design process (ex. gant chart)
- Object-oriented systems have advantages
- After detailed design, actual programs written
- Result: working software system

VALIDATION (TESTING)
- Ensure software satisfies specification
- Ensure software meets user’s needs
- Challenges to testing software
 Noncontinuous responses to changes in input. No identical data set of inputs
 Exhaustive………….

SOFTWARE QUALITY IS IMPROVING

SHRINKWRAP WARRANTIES
- Some say you accept software “as is”
- Some offer 90-day replacement or money back guarantee
- None accept liability for harm caused by use of software

MORAL RESPONSBILITY OF SOFTWARE MANUFACTURERS


- If vendors were responsible for harmful consequences of defects
 Companies would test software more
 They would purchase liability insurance
 Software would cost more
 Start-ups would be affected more than big companies and thus,
 Less innovation in software industry
 Software would be more reliable
- Making vendors responsible for harmful consequences of defects may be wrong
- Consumers should not have to pay for bug fixes

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