Message-ID: <19981030212011.25034.qmail@www07.netaddress.usa.net>
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 21:20:10
From: Dan Schaefer <dfschaefer@usa.net>
To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
Subject: Microsystems
Mime-Version: 1.0

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To all who wrote about the continuing problems with their Microsystem
equipment. Ain't it just too much fun being the Qualification Test 
Lab for a company? And on your nickel, too! Over here in the side of
the business where toilet seats are said to cost $600, a system is at
least completely qualified by rigorous testing to meet it's specified
requirements before it goes on an airplane. That way, the bugs are 
banished once, up front, instead over and over again on each new 
installation. (For the toilet seats, let's not go there)!
It should be that way for us too, but too often a new gizmo is just 
too "neat" to pass up and guess who pays the price? A real problem
in a situation like we've been reading on the LML is that the 
company may never get their act completely together and disappear, 
guess who's the stuckee. Happens all the time, and more often than 
it should, in the homebuilt arena.
Seriously, Marv is right about the dangers of putting all one's 
eggs in the one basket (even if they were thoroughly tested and 
proven eggs) and how unlikely it is for a lot of independent systems 
failing at the same time. If you put yourself in the position to lose
one or more critical functions due to a single-point-failure, that's
a bad thing.
Bottom line: Do you want to fly or do you want to constantly be 
testing something? Your choice.

Dan Schaefer
N235SP


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