Programming's Greatest Mistakes

Explore a captivating conference talk that delves into some of the most catastrophic programming mistakes in history. Learn about costly errors that led to explosions, bankruptcies, and widespread frustration in web development. Discover the stories behind infamous bugs like Y2K, the Pentium FPU flaw, and the Mars Climate Orbiter disaster. Gain insights into what went wrong, why it happened, and the enormous consequences of these programming blunders. From the humorous "med file unf*cker" to the potentially apocalyptic Soviet early warning system, this presentation covers a wide range of programming pitfalls. Understand the impact of NULL, the perils of big rewrites, and even the contentious creation of JavaScript. Perfect for software engineers, tech enthusiasts, and anyone interested in learning from the most significant mistakes in programming history.

Intro
The med file unf*cker
Y2K
The Kennel club "Dog 38" bug
EnTErpRIsE
The Pentium FPU
NULL
Hartford Center
Knight Capital
Mariner 1
Mars Climate Orbiter
Ariane 5
The big rewrite
JavaScript
The Soviet early warning system
Outro