TOP 10 computer bugs in software history

Summary

This video highlights the top ten most shocking computer bugs in history, illustrating how coding errors can lead to devastating consequences. From the Amazon one-cent sale that disrupted retailers to the tragic failure of the Patriot missile system, these incidents underscore the critical importance of rigorous coding practices. Other notable bugs include the Knight Capital Group's $460 million loss and NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter mishap, both showcasing the potential financial and operational fallout from software mistakes. The video serves as a reminder for developers to write error-free code and engage viewers to share their own experiences with bugs.

Takeaways

• 💻 Computer bugs can lead to significant errors and unexpected behavior in programs.
• 💸 Some bugs have resulted in financial losses for companies, with some incidents costing hundreds of millions.
• 🎄 The Amazon one-cent sale in 2014 was caused by a bug in third-party software, leading to chaotic pricing just before Christmas.
• 📞 AT&T's software upgrade in 1990 caused a nine-hour outage, affecting 75 million calls and costing $60 million.
• 📉 Knight Capital Group lost $460 million in 45 minutes due to a bug in their trading algorithm that treated a live server as a test environment.
• ⚖️ The EDS Child Support system in the UK underpaid 700,000 people and overpaid 1.9 million, leading to a $1 billion resolution cost.
• 🌌 NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter failed due to a measurement mismatch between metric and imperial systems, resulting in a $327.6 million loss.
• 💔 The Y2K bug caused potential disruptions across multiple industries as computers misread the year 2000 as 1900.
• 🚓 A computer error in California mistakenly classified violent criminals as low-risk, resulting in the unsupervised release of over 1,400 offenders.
• 🔢 The Pentium FDIV bug in 1993 resulted in faulty calculations and a public backlash, costing Intel $475 million in processor replacements.

Q & A

What are computer bugs?

Computer bugs are mistakes in code that can lead to errors and unexpected behaviors in computer programs.

What incident is referred to as the Amazon one-cent sale?

In December 2014, a bug in third-party software temporarily repriced items on Amazon to just 1 cent, resulting in massive order cancellations and financial losses for retailers.

What was the consequence of AT&T's software upgrade in 1990?

The software upgrade resulted in a race condition that caused 75 million missed long-distance calls and led to a financial loss of $60 million for AT&T.

How did the Knight Capital Group lose $460 million in 2012?

A coding mistake caused the trading algorithm to execute faulty trades under the assumption it was in a test environment, leading to a $460 million loss in just 45 minutes.

What was the impact of the Pentium FDIV bug?

The Pentium FDIV bug caused incorrect floating-point calculations in Intel processors, leading to a public outcry and costs of $475 million for Intel due to chip replacements.

What happened to NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter in 1998?

The Mars Climate Orbiter was lost due to a measurement mismatch between metric and imperial systems, causing it to enter Mars' atmosphere at a lower altitude than planned, resulting in its destruction.

What issues arose from the EDS child support system introduced in the UK?

The EDS child support system was incompatible with the restructuring of the agency, resulting in underpayments for 700,000 people, overpayments for 1.9 million, and over $1 billion in taxpayer costs.

What was the outcome of the early release of violent criminals in California?

A computer bug mistakenly classified violent criminals as low-risk, resulting in the unsupervised release of over 1,400 high-risk offenders, creating safety concerns in the community.

What was the Y2K bug, and why was it significant?

The Y2K bug stemmed from using a two-digit year format, which caused many systems to misinterpret the year 2000 as 1900, leading to potential disruptions across various sectors and necessitating extensive updates.

What error caused the failure of the Patriot missile defense system during the Gulf War?

A rounding error in the system's calculations prevented it from intercepting an incoming Scud missile, resulting in the deaths of 28 American soldiers.

What was the cause of the Ariane 5 rocket failure?

The Ariane 5 rocket failure was due to a software error related to integer overflow, where a 64-bit number was improperly converted to a 16-bit signed integer, leading to the rocket's explosion shortly after launch.