5 ms·
> Our code and compilers are constantly changing, and the problem disappeared as suddenly as it appeared ... only to happen again 2 years later in a completely
by Izkata 4y ago
> Our code and compilers are constantly changing, and the problem disappeared as suddenly as it appeared ... only to happen again 2 years later in a completely unrelated executable.
It does not encourage me how much this sounds like the short story "Coding Machines". The original post even happened right about 2 years after the short story was posted, then in that comment reoccured after another 2 years.
https://www.teamten.com/lawrence/writings/coding-machines/ https://www.teamten.com/lawrence/writings/coding-machines/
- moffkalast 4y agoDamn, what a story. Though in reality it definitely would've been some guy on the compiler dev team adding it before publishing binaries. I wonder if you could set it up to inject a halt into compiled code that runs if some conditions are met, crashing most of the word's infrastructure on a predetermined date.
- twiss 4y agoGreat story. It reminded me of Ken Thompson's Reflections on Trusting Trust, I assume it was inspired by that: https://cs.cmu.edu/~rdriley/487/papers/Thompson_1984_ReflectionsonTrustingTrust.pdf https://cs.cmu.edu/~rdriley/487/papers/Thompson_1984_Reflect...
- inputError 4y ago[dead]
- armchairhacker 4y agoI have to say this is a really good story. I think whoever wrote it really understood computers and SE culture, it’s extremely realistic except for the metal switch part and AI. (Or…maybe not except?)
- account-5 4y agoExcellent story, mildly terrified!
- highspeedbus 4y agoThat was a great read, thanks.