SQA IntroductionSQA Introduction

CSCI626

Day One

Basic Questions

What is the point of SQA?

How necessary is SQA? How good is software?

Is software production different from producing other products? If so, how and why?

Differences between Software and Other Products

1. Product Complexity

2. Product Visibility

3. Product Development Process

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Warranty Lawsuits

Mortenson v. Timeberline Software (≈1993)

Mortenson used a TS application when creating a bid to build a hospital.

The software created a bid that was $2M too low.

TS knew about the bug, but had not sent an update to Mortenson.

The State of Washington Supreme Court ruled in favor of TS.

Warranty Laws

Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code

Uniform Computer Information Transaction Act (UCITA) allows software manufacturers to: (≈1999)

disclaim all liability for defects prevent the transfer of software from person to person remotely disable licensed software during a dispute

does not apply to embedded systems

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MICROSOFT AND ITS SUPPLIERS PROVIDE TO YOU THE SOFTWARE COMPONENT, AND ANY (IF ANY) SUPPORT SERVICES RELATED TO THE SOFTWARE COMPONENT ("SUPPORT SERVICES") AS IS AND WITH ALL FAULTS; AND MICROSOFT AND ITS SUPPLIERS HEREBY DISCLAIM WITH RESPECT TO THE SOFTWARE COMPONENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY (IF ANY) WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF OR RELATED TO: TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, LACK OF VIRUSES, ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF RESPONSES, RESULTS, LACK OF NEGLIGENCE OR LACK OF WORKMANLIKE EFFORT, QUIET ENJOYMENT, QUIET POSSESSION, AND CORRESPONDENCE TO DESCRIPTION. THE ENTIRE RISK ARISING OUT OF USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE COMPONENT AND ANY SUPPORT SERVICES REMAINS WITH YOU.

"Software Crisis"

term coined by DoD years ago

Problem Today: complexity of problems addressed by software has outpaced improvements in software creation process

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"We have repeatedly reported on cost rising by millions of dollars, schedule delays, of not months but years, and multi-billion-dollar systems that don't perform as envisioned. … The understanding of software as a product and of software development as a process is not keeping pace with the growing complexity and software dependence of existing and emerging mission-critical systems."

Government Accounting Office

"Few fields have so large a gap between best current practice and average current practice."

Department of Defense

The Big Question

Q: How do we assure quality?

A: We have a good process.

Next…

Define Quality The nature of software errors

examples of costly software errors