??? 02/23/12 11:07 Read: times |
#186152 - Why you need a watchdog Responding to: ???'s previous message |
It is now widely recognised that it is impossible to write bug-free code of real world complexity. Assuming a 100% reliable hardware platform, you will not convince any auditor that the software running on it is bug free. A watchdog can therefore protect you from a wide range of software bugs that would otherwise lock up your system. It's not a guarantee, but it does cover a large range of software bugs.
Over the past few years I've done some certified applications for customers who take software reliability seriously. I've learned to admit that my code has bugs, and that finding bugs is a good thing, not a source of embarassment. The software test tools now available can tell you your test coverage, but explain that even 100% coverage doesn't mean 100% bug free. Testing shipping code that has "no reported bugs" using modern tools can be an eye openner, as I certainly found dozens of bugs. |