4 ms·

> I'm not sure if it was a bug or someone remotely changed the account records for her branch... From https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/09/how-the-p

by rlpb 3y ago

> I'm not sure if it was a bug or someone remotely changed the account records for her branch... From https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/09/how-the-post-offices-horizon-system-failed-a-technical-breakdown https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/09/how-the-post...: > One [bug]...would see the screen freeze as the user was attempting to confirm receipt of cash. Each time the user pressed “enter” on the frozen screen, it would silently update the record. In Dalmellington, that bug created a £24,000 discrepancy, which the Post Office tried to hold the post office operator responsible for. The fact that this is even possible, apart from the sheer incompetency of a software design that permits it, means that no person can reasonably be accused of stealing cash if that accusation is based on records from this system.

Gibbon1 3y ago
> would see the screen freeze as the user was attempting to confirm receipt of cash. Each time the user pressed “enter” on the frozen screen, it would silently update the record Consider the shittiest homegrown shopping portal probably doesn't do that and any commercial point of sale system absolutely won't do that either. The system has to be such a POS internally that no other vendor will take the liability for it. Reminds me of the Therac-25 that killed people. This thing probably killed more people than that.
- notso411 3y ago
  This was custom software on custom hardware. Bit different from some web app with built in debounce.
  - rcxdude 3y ago
    So is basically any point of sale system. Realllllly not an excuse.
  - bloqs 3y ago
    The underlying paradigms are the same and it is inexcusable
mcguire 3y ago
Any word on consequences for the software engineers involved?
creer 3y ago
Compounded with the fact that the issue was happening all over the country. With a crazy number of different people - and still the issue was not investigated as a possible bug. Oh right, then lied about the whole thing.

by rlpb 3y ago

Gibbon1 3y ago

> would see the screen freeze as the user was attempting to confirm receipt of cash. Each time the user pressed “enter” on the frozen screen, it would silently update the record Consider the shittiest homegrown shopping portal probably doesn't do that and any commercial point of sale system absolutely won't do that either. The system has to be such a POS internally that no other vendor will take the liability for it. Reminds me of the Therac-25 that killed people. This thing probably killed more people than that.

notso411 3y ago
This was custom software on custom hardware. Bit different from some web app with built in debounce.
- rcxdude 3y ago
  So is basically any point of sale system. Realllllly not an excuse.
- bloqs 3y ago
  The underlying paradigms are the same and it is inexcusable

mcguire 3y ago

Any word on consequences for the software engineers involved?

creer 3y ago

Compounded with the fact that the issue was happening all over the country. With a crazy number of different people - and still the issue was not investigated as a possible bug. Oh right, then lied about the whole thing.