Software Issues
Discussion
Not sure where to put this rant, so I'll rant to hopefully some techies in here.
I drive one of these http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipmen... , well actually we have two. My one and the sprayer tractor. They have many computers on them running various functions and the software gives endless grief.
How can software be installed, checked and work for a period of time then, just decide for a laugh, that it now needs new software to work properly again?
The one I've been using this week isn't my normal machine but had GPS guidance on it, so it steers itself, http://www.lh-agro.co.uk/x30-console.asp . It was all specified from the factory to be guidance ready, so it's not a bodged system and the system is one the manufacturer likes and now fits from the factory. So just for a laugh, it decides, having worked for ages, that working is not something it likes doing any more.
It has a steering control valve and if this thing gets out of bed the wrong side the computer says no. It kept saying no this week, so after unpteen failed calibration attempts I called the cavalry. He ran through the calibrations and decided the steering valve was at fault. So we called for further assistance. The lad came out, plugged it into the lap top and it said the software was out of date, put new software on it
, calibrated it and it worked.
Now, why the f
k should it matter that the software is in date or out of date when the machine is not getting connected to the internet and worked when it was installed unless some SOB had put some line of code in that says after a certain date it goes tits up? Absolute bks.
Speaking to the lad that came to fix it and he said he hardly ever gets the spanners out now, because the metal bits work, all of the problems are either directly software issues or mechanical issues caused by ropey, badly tested software.
The X30 box also play up for me and has started to to steer the machine for reasons unknown. The guy that supplied them says it's a software issue and he's coming to put some more one. But it was fking working, so why has it decided to stop? The other X30 box we have works ffs.
These machines have a piece of software that allows you to transfer several functions to one button to allow you to do the turning around sequence either by pressing one button once and it doing it all for you or by pressing the same button repeatedly and to do the different functions from that button, it's called Headland Management. Once, the guy that was running it cam to me and asked about Headland Managements whereabouts, because he couldn't find it. So I had a look and the software had fked off. "Headland Management?, never fking heard of it?" then a day or two later it returned like a tom cat that had been off shagging like nothing had happened.
Don't get me started on home printers, mine never fking works, might as well go back to using a fking quill.
I drive one of these http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipmen... , well actually we have two. My one and the sprayer tractor. They have many computers on them running various functions and the software gives endless grief.
How can software be installed, checked and work for a period of time then, just decide for a laugh, that it now needs new software to work properly again?
The one I've been using this week isn't my normal machine but had GPS guidance on it, so it steers itself, http://www.lh-agro.co.uk/x30-console.asp . It was all specified from the factory to be guidance ready, so it's not a bodged system and the system is one the manufacturer likes and now fits from the factory. So just for a laugh, it decides, having worked for ages, that working is not something it likes doing any more.
It has a steering control valve and if this thing gets out of bed the wrong side the computer says no. It kept saying no this week, so after unpteen failed calibration attempts I called the cavalry. He ran through the calibrations and decided the steering valve was at fault. So we called for further assistance. The lad came out, plugged it into the lap top and it said the software was out of date, put new software on it
, calibrated it and it worked. Now, why the f
k should it matter that the software is in date or out of date when the machine is not getting connected to the internet and worked when it was installed unless some SOB had put some line of code in that says after a certain date it goes tits up? Absolute bks. Speaking to the lad that came to fix it and he said he hardly ever gets the spanners out now, because the metal bits work, all of the problems are either directly software issues or mechanical issues caused by ropey, badly tested software.
The X30 box also play up for me and has started to to steer the machine for reasons unknown. The guy that supplied them says it's a software issue and he's coming to put some more one. But it was f
king working, so why has it decided to stop? The other X30 box we have works ffs. These machines have a piece of software that allows you to transfer several functions to one button to allow you to do the turning around sequence either by pressing one button once and it doing it all for you or by pressing the same button repeatedly and to do the different functions from that button, it's called Headland Management. Once, the guy that was running it cam to me and asked about Headland Managements whereabouts, because he couldn't find it. So I had a look and the software had f
ked off. "Headland Management?, never fking heard of it?" then a day or two later it returned like a tom cat that had been off shagging like nothing had happened. Don't get me started on home printers, mine never f
king works, might as well go back to using a fking quill. Willy Nilly said:
Not sure where to put this rant, so I'll rant to hopefully some techies in here.
I drive one of these http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipmen... , well actually we have two. My one and the sprayer tractor. They have many computers on them running various functions and the software gives endless grief.
How can software be installed, checked and work for a period of time then, just decide for a laugh, that it now needs new software to work properly again?
The one I've been using this week isn't my normal machine but had GPS guidance on it, so it steers itself, http://www.lh-agro.co.uk/x30-console.asp . It was all specified from the factory to be guidance ready, so it's not a bodged system and the system is one the manufacturer likes and now fits from the factory. So just for a laugh, it decides, having worked for ages, that working is not something it likes doing any more.
It has a steering control valve and if this thing gets out of bed the wrong side the computer says no. It kept saying no this week, so after unpteen failed calibration attempts I called the cavalry. He ran through the calibrations and decided the steering valve was at fault. So we called for further assistance. The lad came out, plugged it into the lap top and it said the software was out of date, put new software on it, calibrated it and it worked.
Now, why the fk should it matter that the software is in date or out of date when the machine is not getting connected to the internet and worked when it was installed unless some SOB had put some line of code in that says after a certain date it goes tits up? Absolute bks.
Speaking to the lad that came to fix it and he said he hardly ever gets the spanners out now, because the metal bits work, all of the problems are either directly software issues or mechanical issues caused by ropey, badly tested software.
The X30 box also play up for me and has started to to steer the machine for reasons unknown. The guy that supplied them says it's a software issue and he's coming to put some more one. But it was fking working, so why has it decided to stop? The other X30 box we have works ffs.
These machines have a piece of software that allows you to transfer several functions to one button to allow you to do the turning around sequence either by pressing one button once and it doing it all for you or by pressing the same button repeatedly and to do the different functions from that button, it's called Headland Management. Once, the guy that was running it cam to me and asked about Headland Managements whereabouts, because he couldn't find it. So I had a look and the software had fked off. "Headland Management?, never fking heard of it?" then a day or two later it returned like a tom cat that had been off shagging like nothing had happened.
Don't get me started on home printers, mine never fking works, might as well go back to using a fking quill.
Is there a common factor between the tractor woes and the printer issues?I drive one of these http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipmen... , well actually we have two. My one and the sprayer tractor. They have many computers on them running various functions and the software gives endless grief.
How can software be installed, checked and work for a period of time then, just decide for a laugh, that it now needs new software to work properly again?
The one I've been using this week isn't my normal machine but had GPS guidance on it, so it steers itself, http://www.lh-agro.co.uk/x30-console.asp . It was all specified from the factory to be guidance ready, so it's not a bodged system and the system is one the manufacturer likes and now fits from the factory. So just for a laugh, it decides, having worked for ages, that working is not something it likes doing any more.
It has a steering control valve and if this thing gets out of bed the wrong side the computer says no. It kept saying no this week, so after unpteen failed calibration attempts I called the cavalry. He ran through the calibrations and decided the steering valve was at fault. So we called for further assistance. The lad came out, plugged it into the lap top and it said the software was out of date, put new software on it
, calibrated it and it worked. Now, why the f
k should it matter that the software is in date or out of date when the machine is not getting connected to the internet and worked when it was installed unless some SOB had put some line of code in that says after a certain date it goes tits up? Absolute bks. Speaking to the lad that came to fix it and he said he hardly ever gets the spanners out now, because the metal bits work, all of the problems are either directly software issues or mechanical issues caused by ropey, badly tested software.
The X30 box also play up for me and has started to to steer the machine for reasons unknown. The guy that supplied them says it's a software issue and he's coming to put some more one. But it was f
king working, so why has it decided to stop? The other X30 box we have works ffs. These machines have a piece of software that allows you to transfer several functions to one button to allow you to do the turning around sequence either by pressing one button once and it doing it all for you or by pressing the same button repeatedly and to do the different functions from that button, it's called Headland Management. Once, the guy that was running it cam to me and asked about Headland Managements whereabouts, because he couldn't find it. So I had a look and the software had f
ked off. "Headland Management?, never fking heard of it?" then a day or two later it returned like a tom cat that had been off shagging like nothing had happened. Don't get me started on home printers, mine never f
king works, might as well go back to using a fking quill. Muntu said:
Is there a common factor between the tractor woes and the printer issues?
The tractor issue predate me operating it and happen to lots of people, hence why the techs laptop is a lot dirtier than his spanners. The symptoms the X30 box is showing is also a common fault, works for a round or two, then stops. tting thing. Willy Nilly said:
Muntu said:
Is there a common factor between the tractor woes and the printer issues?
The tractor issue predate me operating it and happen to lots of people, hence why the techs laptop is a lot dirtier than his spanners. The symptoms the X30 box is showing is also a common fault, works for a round or two, then stops. tting thing. 
There is actually a phenomenon we in the trade call "software rot".
It actually expresses two phenomena that result in the same symptom: the software buggering up.
Software doesn't rot, of course, that's not possible. What actually happens is that the environment in which it is running changes somehow in a way that was not forseen. It was never intended to deal with the particular eventuality and so does not work.
The other problem is latent bugs. The bug was always there but the environment in which the software was running never encountered the situation that would cause the bug to manifest - until now.
I will be fixing a bug in some software that is fifteen years old next week. No-one noticed, or cared, until a new web-browser (Edge) showed it up.
It's the way of things, sadly.
It actually expresses two phenomena that result in the same symptom: the software buggering up.
Software doesn't rot, of course, that's not possible. What actually happens is that the environment in which it is running changes somehow in a way that was not forseen. It was never intended to deal with the particular eventuality and so does not work.
The other problem is latent bugs. The bug was always there but the environment in which the software was running never encountered the situation that would cause the bug to manifest - until now.
I will be fixing a bug in some software that is fifteen years old next week. No-one noticed, or cared, until a new web-browser (Edge) showed it up.
It's the way of things, sadly.
Don said:
There is actually a phenomenon we in the trade call "software rot".
It actually expresses two phenomena that result in the same symptom: the software buggering up.
Software doesn't rot, of course, that's not possible. What actually happens is that the environment in which it is running changes somehow in a way that was not forseen. It was never intended to deal with the particular eventuality and so does not work.
.
Lots of vehicles use "adaptive systems" these days. Which can cause issues. if a new user does things very differently. It actually expresses two phenomena that result in the same symptom: the software buggering up.
Software doesn't rot, of course, that's not possible. What actually happens is that the environment in which it is running changes somehow in a way that was not forseen. It was never intended to deal with the particular eventuality and so does not work.
.
Don said:
There is actually a phenomenon we in the trade call "software rot".
It actually expresses two phenomena that result in the same symptom: the software buggering up.
Software doesn't rot, of course, that's not possible. What actually happens is that the environment in which it is running changes somehow in a way that was not forseen. It was never intended to deal with the particular eventuality and so does not work.
The other problem is latent bugs. The bug was always there but the environment in which the software was running never encountered the situation that would cause the bug to manifest - until now.
I will be fixing a bug in some software that is fifteen years old next week. No-one noticed, or cared, until a new web-browser (Edge) showed it up.
It's the way of things, sadly.
I can understand it with phones and computers connected to the internet or being asked to run new software or devices, but why would a steering valve who's only job is to divert oil the way the GPS system tells it to suddenly stop working due to a software glitch? Nothing was ever added or taken away, it just stopped working. As a user, it's incredibly frustrating. It actually expresses two phenomena that result in the same symptom: the software buggering up.
Software doesn't rot, of course, that's not possible. What actually happens is that the environment in which it is running changes somehow in a way that was not forseen. It was never intended to deal with the particular eventuality and so does not work.
The other problem is latent bugs. The bug was always there but the environment in which the software was running never encountered the situation that would cause the bug to manifest - until now.
I will be fixing a bug in some software that is fifteen years old next week. No-one noticed, or cared, until a new web-browser (Edge) showed it up.
It's the way of things, sadly.
Willy Nilly said:
I can understand it with phones and computers connected to the internet or being asked to run new software or devices, but why would a steering valve who's only job is to divert oil the way the GPS system tells it to suddenly stop working due to a software glitch? Nothing was ever added or taken away, it just stopped working. As a user, it's incredibly frustrating.
As a developer it is incredibly frustrating, too! 
Maybe the valve wore slightly and got outside of the programmed-in boundaries/tolerance?
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