Killed by a Machine: The Therac-25
Are there any statistics on the safety&#x2F;reliability of software controlled vs. hardware controlled devices?<p>I work in software engineering, so I&#x27;m exposed daily to broken software controls, and I&#x27;m gradually becoming more of a &quot;grumpy old man&quot; longing for the good old days when machines (be it cameras, cars, watches, medical equipment or anything else, really) could be &quot;debugged&quot; by following levers, wires, physical stops and hoses. I feel much more comfortable with that than with complex computer systems.<p>I would like to know if my fears can be founded in actual truths, or if I&#x27;m just riling myself up over nothing.