7 May
2001
7 May
'01
11:15 a.m.
On May 7, 15:26, James B. DiGriz wrote:
Trying to get in something at least a little on-topic,
I've heard of
people being killed accidently by industrial robots and such, or the
prospect of the imminent demise of hospital patients due to script
kiddies screwing around with medical records databases or life support
equipment, but does anyone know of an instance where a computer was used
to kill someone? Including military or intelligence cases?
My favorite software disclaimer is with Windows95 (the original is in all
caps). I wonder if the text is from Sun or Microsoft?:
"Note on Java support. The software may contain support for programs written
in Java. Java technology is not fault tolerant and is not designed,
manufactured, or intended for use or resale as on-line control equipment in
hazardous environments requiring fail-safe performance, such as in the
operation of nuclear facilities, aircraft navigation or communication
systems, air traffic control, direct life support machines, or weapons
systems, in which the failure of Java technology could lead directly to
death, personal injury, or severe physical or environmental damage."
7 May
7 May
11:34 a.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Feldman, Robert" <Robert_Feldman(a)jdedwards.com>
To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 2:15 PM
Subject: RE: Computers as weapons
My favorite software disclaimer is with Windows95 (the
original is in all
caps). I wonder if the text is from Sun or Microsoft?:
"Note on Java support. The software may contain support for programs
written
in Java. Java technology is not fault tolerant and is
not designed,
manufactured, or intended for use or resale as on-line control equipment
in
hazardous environments requiring fail-safe
performance, such as in the
operation of nuclear facilities, aircraft navigation or communication
systems, air traffic control, direct life support machines, or weapons
systems, in which the failure of Java technology could lead directly to
death, personal injury, or severe physical or environmental damage."
I think this is standard boilerplate for software that's not tested and
guaranteed to be fault-tolerant. I know I've seen something similar on
Amiga OS 3.5 and 3.9 licences. I remember grinning about the "nuclear
facilities" part.
Cheers,
Mark
8 May
8 May
3:17 a.m.
On Mon, 7 May 2001 14:34:16 -0600 Mark Gregory
<gregorym(a)cadvision.com> wrote:
I think this is standard boilerplate for software
that's not tested and
guaranteed to be fault-tolerant. I know I've seen something similar on
Amiga OS 3.5 and 3.9 licences. I remember grinning about the "nuclear
facilities" part.
When I worked on presentation graphics software, back in
1986/7 (long before PowerPoint!), we made a sale to a
nuclear power station. They wanted to buy the software for
the usual training and management applications, but weren't
allowed to. We had to re-write the software licence
agreement for them, so that it would pass their buying
policy -- which applied to *all* software they bought. I
forget the details, but they were not allowed to buy
software under a licence that could be revoked, leaving
them unable to use it. All this seemed very odd to a
newly-graduated geek like myself...
Oh, the software was called the Enhanced Personal
Presentation System, or EPPS. Anyone ever heard of it?
--
John Honniball
Email: John.Honniball(a)uwe.ac.uk
University of the West of England
3:54 a.m.
On Tuesday, May 8, 2001, at 08:17 AM, John Honniball wrote:
When I worked on presentation graphics software, back
in
1986/7 (long before PowerPoint!), we made a sale to a
The days of Harvard Graphics too. Wasn't it the first of the
Powerpoint-type programs to become popular?
Jeff
4:03 a.m.
On Tue, 8 May 2001 08:54:12 -0400 Jeff Hellige
<jhellige(a)earthlink.net> wrote:
On Tuesday, May 8, 2001, at 08:17 AM, John Honniball
wrote:
Harvard Graphics was one of our biggest competitors! There
were a few companies doing business graphics, at a time
when many PCs were monochome text-only. We produced a CGA
(320x200x4 colour) version called PPS (Personal
Presentation System) and an EGA version called EPPS. Then
there was the ill-fated Olivetti version for the M24 add-on
graphics board. We had 1500 copies made, with fancy
manuals and slip-cases, and sold 27 of them.
But wasn't there a package called "The Dog And Pony Show"?
We ended up selling an American program called Kinetic
Graphics that could do very high-res 35mm slides, but
couldn't cope with European A4 size paper.
--
John Honniball
Email: John.Honniball(a)uwe.ac.uk
University of the West of England
When I worked on presentation graphics software,
back in
1986/7 (long before PowerPoint!), we made a sale to a
The days of Harvard Graphics too. Wasn't it the first of the
Powerpoint-type programs to become popular? 
8:24 a.m.
At 02:03 PM 5/8/01 +0100, John Honniball wrote:
Harvard Graphics was one of our biggest competitors!
There
were a few companies doing business graphics,
But wasn't there a package called "The Dog And Pony Show"?
I was consulting at SPC circa 1991 on their Harvard
series, mostly on Harvard Draw and all related import/export
filters, and a bit on Harvard Graphics.
Around that time, their inept marketing teams
made advertisements and mouse pads saying something
to the effect of "Not your average dog and pony show"
featuring a multicolored dog and horse.
The problem is, there's also the perhaps urban-legend meaning of
"dog and pony show" based on Tijuana or circus sideshows
involving sex acts between humans and these animals.
- John
8478
days inactive
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5 comments
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participants (5)
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gregorym＠cadvision.com -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
jhellige＠earthlink.net -
John.Honniball＠uwe.ac.uk -
Robert_Feldman＠jdedwards.com