I'm not sure I see the point of this comparison. Publication of a bad proof with an untrue conclusion may lead to man-years of wasted research effort. The doll

I'm not sure I see the point of this comparison. Publication of a bad proof with an untrue conclusion may lead to man-years of wasted research effort. The dollar figure of the cost of a bad proof, or of a kernel bug, will always depend on the specifics of the case.