4 ms·

Am i the only one that thinks bugs are called bugs for a reason, and this was most likely not negligence.

josaka 9y ago
Sympathetic to the notion given how difficult/useful it is to design a chip. But someone has to bear the cost of this. Chip designers are the party most capable of mitigating the harm. Seems reasonable to ask them to pay. See e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coase_theorem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coase_theorem
- mseebach 9y ago
  There's no externality to speak off here, so Coase doesn't apply. The costs, even if unexpected, are borne by the people who buy the chips, not random bystanders.
bonzini 9y ago
Yes. Bugs are called bugs because you could actually find bugs among triodes and they could cause the computer to malfunction. Then the wording was extended to software bugs.
- mirimir 9y ago
  Yes, the first known documented was a moth. By Grace Hopper. It prevented a relay from closing, I gather. https://thenextweb.com/shareables/2013/09/18/the-very-first-computer-bug/ https://thenextweb.com/shareables/2013/09/18/the-very-first-...
  - chx 9y ago
    This, even after so many years? Please! http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/first_computer_bug.htm http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/first_computer_bug.htm Obligatory working scihub link: https://sci-hub.la/10.2307/455415 https://sci-hub.la/10.2307/455415
    - mirimir 9y ago
      Ah, thanks. tl;dr - Error-prone semi-automatic telegraph keyers were called bugs.
  - Retra 9y ago
    No, that's the first documented case of a bug being a literal insect. There were bugs in programs before, and they were called as such even then.
- runeks 9y ago
  No. The term “bug” — describing a malfunction — was used long before the advent of electronic computers: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug#Etymology https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug#Etymology
  - bonzini 9y ago
    Interesting, still nothing to do with intercepting communications.
- chx 9y ago
  Wrong, check below, won't type it twice.
- tehlike 9y ago
  [DELETED]
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
    - tehlike 9y ago
      Thanks - deleted.

Sympathetic to the notion given how difficult/useful it is to design a chip. But someone has to bear the cost of this. Chip designers are the party most capable of mitigating the harm. Seems reasonable to ask them to pay. See e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coase_theorem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coase_theorem

mseebach 9y ago
There's no externality to speak off here, so Coase doesn't apply. The costs, even if unexpected, are borne by the people who buy the chips, not random bystanders.

bonzini 9y ago

Yes. Bugs are called bugs because you could actually find bugs among triodes and they could cause the computer to malfunction. Then the wording was extended to software bugs.

mirimir 9y ago
Yes, the first known documented was a moth. By Grace Hopper. It prevented a relay from closing, I gather. https://thenextweb.com/shareables/2013/09/18/the-very-first-computer-bug/ https://thenextweb.com/shareables/2013/09/18/the-very-first-...
- chx 9y ago
  This, even after so many years? Please! http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/first_computer_bug.htm http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/first_computer_bug.htm Obligatory working scihub link: https://sci-hub.la/10.2307/455415 https://sci-hub.la/10.2307/455415
  - mirimir 9y ago
    Ah, thanks. tl;dr - Error-prone semi-automatic telegraph keyers were called bugs.
- Retra 9y ago
  No, that's the first documented case of a bug being a literal insect. There were bugs in programs before, and they were called as such even then.
runeks 9y ago
No. The term “bug” — describing a malfunction — was used long before the advent of electronic computers: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug#Etymology https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_bug#Etymology
- bonzini 9y ago
  Interesting, still nothing to do with intercepting communications.
chx 9y ago
Wrong, check below, won't type it twice.
tehlike 9y ago
[DELETED]
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
  - tehlike 9y ago
    Thanks - deleted.