software rot
The tendency of software that has not been used in a while to fail such failure may be semi-humorously ascribed to href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=bit rot">bit rot. More commonly, "software rot" strikes when a program' s assumptions become out of date. If the design was insufficiently href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=robust">robust, this may cause it to fail in mysterious ways. For example, owing to shortsightedness in the design of some COBOL programs, many would have succumbed to software rot when their 2-digit year counters wrapped around at the beginning of the year 2000. A related incident made the news in 1990, when a gentleman born in 1889 applied for a driver' s licence renewal in Raleigh, North Carolina. The system refused to issue the card, probably because with 2-digit years the ages 101 and 1 cannot be distinguished. Historical note: Software rot in an even funnier sense than the mythical one was a real problem on early research computers (e.g. the href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=R1">R1 see href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=grind crank">grind crank). If a program that depended on a peculiar instruction hadn' t been run in quite a while, the user might discover that the href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=opcodes">opcodes no longer did the same things they once did. ("Hey, so-and-so needs an instruction to do such-and-such. We can href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=snarf">snarf this opcode, right? No one uses it.") Another classic example of this sprang from the time an href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=MIT">MIT hacker found a simple way to double the speed of the unconditional jump instruction on a href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=PDP-6">PDP-6, so he patched the hardware. Unfortunately, this broke some fragile timing software in a music-playing program, throwing its output out of tune. This was fixed by adding a defensive initialisation routine to compare the speed of a timing loop with the real-time clock in other words, it figured out how fast the PDP-6 was that day, and corrected appropriately. [href="module.php?name=Lexikon&file=search&eid=1&query=Jargon File">Jargon File] (2002-02-22) In addition suitable contents:
[ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=31">2 ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=134">= ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=262">ad ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=396">ag ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=411">ai ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=433">al ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=544">am ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=592">an ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=683">app ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=740">ar ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=743">arc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=759">arg ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=800">as ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=894">at ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=935">au ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=996">av ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1025">B ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1026">b ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1034">ba ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1181">be ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1269">bi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1334">bit ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1355">bit rot ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1444">bo ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1535">br ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1672">bus ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1695">by ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1708">C ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1724">ca ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1818">card ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=1896">cc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2001">ch ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2099">ci ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2136">ck ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2138">cl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2145">class ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2147">classic ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2188">clock ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2247">co ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2257">COBOL ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2273">code ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2287">codes ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2330">com ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2491">computer ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2545">con ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2791">cr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2795">crank ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2900">cu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2941">cy ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=2976">D ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3096">date ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3136">dd ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3151">de ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3304">design ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3384">digit ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3436">ding ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3470">disc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3565">do ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3657">DP ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3689">driver ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3752">du ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3865">ec ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3896">ed ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3929">ee ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=3946">eg ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4148">er ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4171">es ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4384">failure ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4404">fas ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4497">fi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4520">file ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4595">fix ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4700">fo ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4727">for ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4828">fr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=4833">fragile ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5057">ge ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5070">gen ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5134">gh ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5141">gi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5205">gn ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5291">gr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5367">grind ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5368">grind crank ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5390">gs ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5403">gu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5434">h ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5438">hack ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5443">hacker ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5512">hardware ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5540">hat ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5656">hing ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5768">hr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5779">ht ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5791">hu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5809">humor ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5931">id ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=5956">ie ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6013">il ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6064">in ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6068">inc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6413">io ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6449">ir ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6482">is ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6557">IT ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6558">it ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6589">J ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6620">Jargon File ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6748">jump ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6789">ke ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=6918">la ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7023">ld ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7091">Lex ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7107">li ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7338">loop ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7415">lu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7441">ly ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7457">M ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7463">ma ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7582">man ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=7992">MIT ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8019">mm ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8032">mo ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8040">mod ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8079">module ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8167">mp ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8228">ms ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8258">mu ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8378">my ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8384">N ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8386">na ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8460">nc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8472">ne ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8599">news ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8622">nf ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8627">ng ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8630">ni ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8660">nl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8672">nn ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8675">no ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8760">ns ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8820">O ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=8964">om ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9014">op ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9176">output ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9204">pa ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9430">PD ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9445">PDP ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9449">PDP-6 ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9457">pe ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9550">ph ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9651">pl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=9908">pr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10023">program ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10042">programming ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10144">pt ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10253">query ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10364">rc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10385">re ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10390">real ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10401">real-time ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10754">rl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10767">ro ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10774">robust ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10816">routine ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10820">row ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10887">ru ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10892">run ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10918">S ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10922">sa ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=10959">sam ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11010">sc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11150">se ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11217">semi ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11314">sh ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11376">si ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11389">sig ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11525">sl ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11615">sn ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11625">snarf ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11651">so ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11680">software ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=11934">st ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12109">struct ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12133">su ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12165">sum ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12246">sy ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12312">system ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12359">T ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12440">tc ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12588">th ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12721">to ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12777">tp ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12787">tr ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12912">tune ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=12939">tw ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13030">um ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13175">us ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13188">user ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13310">ve ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13694">while ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13725">win ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13820">word ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=13877">ws ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=14042">ye ] [ href="module.php?name=Lexikon&op=content&tid=14075">yt ]
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