Famous Bugs

[shore%nrl-css at sri-unix.UUCP]

From:  John Shore <shore at nrl-css>


This isn't necessarily unix-related, but wizards know more than 
ordinary folk....

In discussions of software and software engineering, it sometimes helps 
to cite famous bugs.  To this end, I am collecting a list.  
I have in mind bugs that caused major problems as well as bugs that 
could have but were prevented by suitable human intervention.  

Some examples of bugs I've heard about but for which I don't have 
documentation: (a) bug forced a Mercury astronaut to fly a 
manual re-entry; (b) bugs were problems in the first two Apollo 
moon landings; (c) bug caused NORAD to alert U.S. forces about 
incoming Soviet missiles (the moon); (d) process synchronization 
bugs delayed the first space shuttle launch.  

Can you help?  I would appreciate receiving brief descriptions of 
famous or should-have-been famous bugs of all types (space program, 
banking, nuclear power, census, etc.).   If possible, please include 
references that will help me to filter out the apocryphal bugs.  

Please pass this message on to others who might be interested.  
I will send a copy of the resulting bug-list to all who contribute.  

Thanks in advance.  

                     John Shore
                     Code 7591
                     Naval Research Laboratory
                     Washington, D.C. 20375
                     (202)767-3056

                     shore at nrl-css
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