Sorry if I ruffled a few feathers, but I always question peoples beliefs on why they think software is any more special than any other tool they use. That being said, I also understand how they came to that belief. There is nothing like software. You can’t touch, hold, manipulate without more software or via the developer and when it works, it works very well, so it’s mystical in nature.

But (there is always a but) as Old Hand says software of any reasonable complexity is very hard to get working, let alone working to what everyone thinks is right. Don’t think so? Have a try with something simple like a recommendation engine. This is why I think Steve’s line of “Developing software is easy…” irks me, even though he correctly tries to explain it away. “Hello World” is easy; everything after isn’t easy when you have human users.

As Lyn says “trap for mistakes”, well that’s easier said than done. Look at the legal systems in their complexity and loop-hole flaws by trying to trap for mistakes.

As Gary unintentionally agrees, cars and microwaves fail (more often because of the operator) but we don’t say “the manufacture should have tested for my problem case better!”

So building better software is extremely hard and nigh to impossible. Just saying more testing won't make that happen. The varied skill of the users, the varied conditions it's used in, the pressure of getting it to market, the change requirements expected; it's a wonder it even works at all!

The bottom line is if you look at why you are frustrated by feeling powerless with buggy software is because of the mystical nature in that with other tools you can somewhat fix the problem yourself. Car gets a flat; you change the tire; microware stops working you buy another one, light bulb; replace, but bug in software… can’t easily replace, fix, *arrhggg* call the mighty developers and hope for the best.