Software problems

Although the providers of proficiency testing schemes should have a quality management system in place, on occasions problems can arise which will affect the quality of the data evaluation being carried out. These can include transcription errors during data entry, mistakes in the report, software problems and inappropriate criteria for evaluation being used. Such problems should be remedied by the provider once the problem has been identified. 

Software is not a physical entity and, unlike some hardware failures, software failures occur without advanced warning. One of the most common software failures is branching, that is, the ability to execute alternative series of commands based on differing inputs. The software branching capacity makes the commands extremely complex and difficult to validate once errors occur as an answer of a specific input, and until the introduction of that specific input error has not been detected. Software input can be almost any data and, and since it is impossible to introduce all data into a software, validation of data is extremely difficult. Thus, results are considered to be of high confidence level. The majority of software problems occur as a consequence of errors in the software design and development and are not directly related to the software manufacture. It is simple to manufacture several software copies that work perfectly and as the original one. 

Warner [176] has given a comprehensive discussion of the principal approaches to the solution of stiff differential equations, including a hundred references among the most pertinent books, papers and application packages directed at simulating kinetic models. Emphasis has been put not only on numerical and software problems such as robustness, improving the linear equation solvers, using sparse matrix techniques, etc., but also on the availability of a chemical compiler, i.e. a powerful interface between kineticist and computer. 

Evidence exists that transients entering computer systems often cause software problems by causing bits to be changed and bits to be added to memory locations. These transients have also been shown to be caused by computer tape recorders providing the inductive impulse. 

Another related characteristic of software is the speed and ease with which it can be changed. This characteristic can lead both software and nonsoftware professionals to the false impression that software problems can be easily corrected. This is true at one level, but there are complications. Repairs made to correct software defects actually establish a new design. Because of this, seemingly insignificant changes in the software code can create unexpected and very significant defects to arise mysteriously elsewhere in the software. 

Software bug that could result in erroneous release not scheduled for correction. .. Headquarters has allowed a workaround for a software problem to be in place for 8 years. [FDA 483, 2002]... 

Prototyping FDA (1995) An approach to accelerate the software development process by facilitating the identification of required functionality during analysis and design phases. A limitation of this technique is the identification of system and software problems and hazards. [Adapted.]... 

This chapter focuses on the basic concepts surrounding how a network works, including the way it sends information and what it uses to send information. This information is covered only to a minor degree by the A+ certification exam. However, if you have interest in becoming a service technician, this information will prove to be very useful, as you will in all likelihood find yourself asked to troubleshoot both hardware and software problems on existing networks. Included in this chapter is information on ... 

I his section deals with a canvas that the troubleshooting artist may have to paint often software problems. More than half of all computer problems are software related. The problems usually don t stem from the software itself, but rather the interaction of that software with other software that may be running on that machine. However, before you can start troubleshooting, you must determine if the problem is hardware related or software related. In order to determine the source of a problem (hardware or software), you have a few things you can do to narrow it down ... 

These indicators, along with your experience, should help you narrow the problem to either a hardware or software problem. 

Can the printer perform a control panel self-test This is the final test to ensure printer operation. If you can press the Test Page control panel button and receive a test printout, this means the entire printer is working properly. The only possibilities for problems would be outside the printer (i.e., interfaces, cables, and software problems). 

This step relies on personal experience more than any of the other steps do. You will without a doubt run into several strange software problems. Each one has a particular solution. Some may even require reinstallation of the software or the entire operating system. 

Hardware problems are pretty easy to figure out. If the modem doesn t work, and you know it isn t a software problem, it s pretty safe to say that the modem is probably the piece of hardware that needs to be replaced. 

When troubleshooting a software problem, which of the following items is the easiest to check first ... 

Once the problem or problems have been clearly identified, your next step is to isolate possible causes. If the problem cannot be clearly identified, then further tests will be necessary. A common technique for hardware and software problems alike is to strip the system down to bare-bones basics. In a hardware situation, this could mean removing all interface cards except those absolutely required for the system to operate. In a software situation, this may mean booting up with the CONFIG. SYS and AUTOEXEC. BAT files disabled. 

I n this chapter, you were given some tips for troubleshooting the Windows environment. Just as with troubleshooting hardware, it is important that you know how to troubleshoot software problems. However, troubleshooting software is actually more difficult because the problems can appear to be more phantom. ... 

In the first section, you learned the basic steps to troubleshooting software problems. You also learned how to apply these troubleshooting steps to problems. These steps are ... 

When the whole quality pattern of a location is of interest and samples with similar pattern with regard to all parameter will be identified, then clustering by means of all parameter is convenient. When all samples will be classified by each parameter separately, then efforts are more directed towards neglecting numerical differences between samples. For both methods the aim is, all samples will be ranked by the cluster centre they have been assigned to, instead of their original parameter values. Because of technical software problems, the number of chemical parameter had to be reduced to a maximum number of 20 (only in case of clustering by the whole property space). Here, the following pollutants are seen as the most relevant ... 

Watchdog timer This is another valuable option for process control computers. It allows the computer to determine if the control program is being executed smoothly or if the program is hung up in a never-ending loop. In the second case an alarm alerts the operator that the computer has lost control of the process, due to software problems. 

Software need not be treated any differently than the other parts of the system. Most safety-related software problems stem from requirements flaws. The system requirements and system hazard analysis should be used to determine the behavioral safety constraints that must be enforced on software behavior and that the software must enforce on the controlled system. Once that is accomplished, those requirements and constraints are passed to the software developers (through the black-box requirements specifications), and they use them to generate and validate their designs just as the hardware developers do. 

Considering only the causes of past accidents is not going to be effective for software problems or when new technology is introduced into a system. Computers are introduced, in fact, in order to make previously infeasible changes in functionality and design, which reduces the effectiveness of a fly-fix-fly approach to safety engineering. Proper hazard analyses examining all the ways the system components can contribute to an accident need to be performed. 

GPUs for Bigger and Faster Simulations, and the final workshop, entided Solving Common Software Problems in Computational Labs, was led by Patrick Fuller of NuMat Technologies and Christopher Wifiner of the University of Pittsburgh. 

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