Keith Moore <moore(_at_)cs(_dot_)utk(_dot_)edu> wrote:
but sooner or later folks are going to be held liable for poor engineering
or poor implementation of networking software, just like folks today can be
held liable for poor engineering or implementation of bridges or buildings.
I don't see how, as long as the software manufacturers ship the software
with legal disclaimers, e.g. "We are not responsible for damages ..."
Also, bridges and buildings are built by licensed professionals, for the
most part. Comparatively speaking, very few software professionals are
licensed in this way. They do accept responsibility for damages; said
responsibility is factored into the cost of the bridge or building.
[Generalization] Much software is cheap and sold in bulk as a commodity.
If for some reason software became significantly more expensive that would
limit its spread and growth. We would no longer have the thriving
industry we have now.
--gregbo