mbzastava · HackerTrans

vor 11 Jahrendiscuss

I remember this from an engineering ethics case study back in college. The professor had the gal to blame the software engineers for the bug. I, as an EE, asked why would you blame the controls when the engineer designed a system with the capability of producing enough radiation to kill a human. Prof just said I was wrong and moved on...

mbzastava

vor 12 Jahrendiscuss

I remember this case study being taught to us at Engineering Ethics 101 while I was in school for my BSEE. I clearly recall the question posed to the room of about 50 would-be electrical engineers. In the case study it was defined that the engineer working on the software was different than the engineer working on the hardware. The class was to take the hardware engineer's perspective for the exercise. The question was "WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?"

Never mind the gravity of such a question being posed to a 18 year-old fresh out of high school. What shocked me was the professor's answer "THE SOFTWARE ENGINEER!"

I'm no programmer. I nearly failed to achieve my BSEE due to the required programming courses. But never in my life would I imagine to rationalize this type of blame onto someone else, let alone have it taught to me in such a point-blank manner.

I raised my hand and offered my objection. "HOW CAN YOU BLAME THE SOFTWARE ENGINEER, WHEN YOU DESIGNED THE MACHINE THAT WAS CAPABLE OF GENERATING ENOUGH RADIATION TO KILL A PERSON?" I further objected "YOU ALSO LEFT IT WITHOUT ANY HARDWARE-BASED FAILSAFE MEASURES, RELYING SOLELY ON THE SOFTWARE PERFORMANCE."

Dead silence from the class as the professor responded in a quip "NO. IT IS THE SOFTWARE ENGINEER'S FAULT. MOVING ON..."

EDIT: We had been given a photo-copy of an article on the accidents for the exercise. No where did I recall reading they had implemented a solution (this was in 2001) that was primarily hardware based. I would have loved to shove that in the professor's face.

mbzastava

vor 12 Jahrendiscuss

I believe the problem here may be the audience. When you need to appeal to human emotions for action, scientists and engineers are the wrong place to go looking. The top comment here gives an accurate picture of what would go through most HN reader's minds.

I highly suggest reposting to Reddit if not done so already.

mbzastava

vor 13 Jahrendiscuss

does this not make you sob?

mbzastava

vor 14 Jahrendiscuss

it will take true genius to get us out of this one... for the time being, have hope in our youth. google "cryptocat"

mbzastava

vor 14 Jahrendiscuss

really? what do you use it for? collecting people's passwords?

looks earily like a honeypot for people to voluntarily give up "simple" passwords they are currently using...

mbzastava

vor 14 Jahrendiscuss

tell him that his pot use needs to be brought into moderation. you will not disavow him over pot, you know better, but your side project will most likely come to a halt as it is not entirely in your interest to maintain these stressful encounters when you don't really need to. And he is obviously more interested in his pot right now. the best bet would be to start painting him mental images of what his life will look like 10 years down the road, and to consider the real levels of remorse and regret he may feel if he does not take a slightly more serious approach to life and his future.

mbzastava

vor 14 Jahrendiscuss

Nice point-blank statement there buddy. The problem is the chronic pot use, not the fact that his partner is a family or friend...

mbzastava

vor 14 Jahrendiscuss

this looks like nothing more than a crowdsourced hedge fund.

mbzastava

vor 15 Jahrendiscuss

NOOOOO!!!!! Absolutely Not!!!

All public position pay should be capped at the national median salary. If compensation is to be a motivating factor, then they must be motivated in a fashion that brings compassion to the public. Not just given despotic positions with high pay that will ultimately only seek to increase that individual pay at every other expense.

We need to eliminate the thought of "money" from politics entirely. There is just no room for it whatsoever. It's like the FPS server that prohibits profanity: sure we are all adults with complex senses of humor in an arena set for eachothers destruction, but that tiny principal creates an atmosphere of communal respect that one can not find any other way.

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