This is about risk allocation, the idea being to make the party bear the cost is who in the better position to do something about it. If corporations were liab

This is about risk allocation, the idea being to make the party bear the cost is who in the better position to do something about it. If corporations were liable for defects in their software, they would need insurance to cover claims, and this would be passed on to consumers as higher prices. They would also be more precise in specifying and communicating how the software should be used. They would start using techniques that might not be efficient or clever, and they might be overkill and more expensive, but that were known to work - similar to how civil engineers design bridges that don't fall down. And they'll need teams of lawyers to handle the litigation. Software will cost more in the EU. This focus on security and consumer rights is what happens after the cowboy phase of an industry is over. But as we move into cloud computing, SaaS, and netbooks and smart phones, that age is yet over for us. Probably it will last at least as long as Moore's Law holds.