23 Jul 10
Originally posted by zeeblebothttp://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/23/report-alarm-gulf-rig-disabled-oil-spill/
another fateful appearance of the Blue Screen of Death.
Disasters
Rig Worker: Fire Alarm System on Gulf Rig Disabled Before Oil Spill
Published July 23, 2010
The fire alarm system on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig was partially disabled prior to the catastrophic explosion that caused the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a rig worker testified Friday.
The rig's chief electronics technician told a federal panel that the Horizon's general alarm system was deliberately set in "inhibited" mode so that sirens would not wake the sleeping crew in the middle of the night.
"They did not want people woken up at 3 a.m. from false alarms," Michael Williams told the six-member panel. As a result, the alarm failed to trigger during the emergency, and workers were forced to sound the alarm through the loudspeaker system on board.
Williams said the craft's computer systems were a "wreck" when he started working on the rig in 2009. Equipment constantly malfunctioned, computers that were supposed to monitor the rig would lock up showing a "blue screen of death," and work was marred by many faulty detectors.
Williams said he tried to repair the systems but faced problems with equipment, and that replacement hardware -- ordered before the explosion -- had not been installed when disaster struck.
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24 Jul 10
Originally posted by zeeblebotHow do you figure it's the OS that's at fault? The guy even says the hardware was an issue. Third party software integration with an already established operating platform is the third party's responsibility. What don't you get about that, or are you just tool busy hating Microsoft to see it?
stability of an OS is the OS manufacturer's responsibility.
have fun with your MS-no-3rd-party-software box.
24 Jul 10
Originally posted by Starrmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Windows_and_Linux#Stability
How do you figure it's the OS that's at fault? The guy even says the hardware was an issue. Third party software integration with an already established operating platform is the third party's responsibility. What don't you get about that, or are you just tool busy hating Microsoft to see it?
For an operating system to be subjectively “stable”, numerous components must operate synchronously. Not all of these components are under the control of operating system vendor; while Linux and Windows kernels may be stable, poorly written applications and drivers can hamstring both. Much of stability, then, is the extent to which the operating system is structured to thwart the consequences of bad behavior of third party installations.
24 Jul 10
Originally posted by zeeblebotSo what? That doesn't remove the responsibility of the third party to build a program which works on whichever OS it chooses to implement its software and hardware on. The article you post suggests the better OS is the one that better assess potential issues of third party integration and that's fine, but it certainly does not mean the blame for any problem rests with the OS manufacturer. It even goes so far to say that poorly written stuff will cripple the OS. What is it about this that you don't get?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Windows_and_Linux#Stability
For an operating system to be subjectively “stable”, numerous components must operate synchronously. Not all of these components are under the control of operating system vendor; while Linux and Windows kernels may be stable, poorly written applications and drivers can hamstring both ...[text shortened]... ng system is structured to thwart the consequences of bad behavior of third party installations.
24 Jul 10
1 edit
If this was a *nix system there would have been an explosion still, because buggy software stays buggy software, and buggy driver/hardware interfacing doesn't magically sort itself out because the OS doesn't fatally crash.
*nix probably wouldn't have crashed, but that doesn't sell sensation...
24 Jul 10
Even I would prefer a linux based OS over Microsoft, but it is without question, the 3rd parties responsibilty to incorporate it's software into the current standing OS.
Added note: Even though the "blue screen of death" appeared, it doesn't mean it is Microsoft. The problem could also be from other OS systems as well. Since it is a hardware issue that, reasonably thinking, causes it's software to error out.
24 Jul 10
Originally posted by hopscotchToo late
"Fire Alarm System on Gulf Rig Disabled Before Oil Spill"
[b]Alarm deliberately disabled.
It's clearly Microsoft's fault.
I'm going to the computer shop to buy Linux right away for my oil rig! What's the latest version? I don't want to look like an idiot.[/b]
