| Recurring |
unknown |
The articles do not provide specific information about the software failure incident happening again at either the same organization or multiple organizations. Therefore, the information related to the recurrence of the software failure incident is unknown. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The article discusses software failure incidents related to the design phase. It mentions how certain names, like 'Null,' can cause error messages or even crash websites due to the way computer systems are programmed. The issue lies in the language of computer programming where the last name 'Null' can make a person 'invisible' to computers, leading to various problems with online forms and services [41922].
(b) The article also touches upon software failure incidents related to the operation phase. It describes how people with names that confuse computers are forced to manipulate the spelling for online forms, shorten their names, or use initials to work around the issue. However, these workarounds do not always work with official websites, including banking or government services, leading to operational failures for users [41922]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident discussed in the articles is primarily due to contributing factors that originate from within the system. The issue arises from the way computer systems handle certain names, such as the last name 'Null,' which can lead to error messages, website crashes, and difficulties in entering personal information [41922]. The problems faced by individuals with unique or long names highlight the limitations of the computer systems and databases, which were not designed to handle such edge cases. Additionally, the article mentions that computer systems, particularly in Japan, are not necessarily tested for handling these kinds of name-related issues, leading to further complications for individuals like Patrick McKenzie [41922]. These instances demonstrate how the software failures are rooted in the internal design and limitations of the systems themselves.
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident related to name handling does not seem to have contributing factors that originate from outside the system. The issues discussed in the articles are primarily attributed to how the computer systems interpret and process certain names, such as 'Null' or long names, rather than external factors impacting the system's performance [41922]. The challenges faced by individuals with unique names, like Janice Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele, were addressed by updating the computer systems to accommodate their names, indicating that the failures were resolved by making changes within the system itself [41922]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions:
The articles discuss how certain names, such as the last name 'Null,' can lead to software failures without any direct human involvement. The issue arises from the nature of computer systems and programming languages. For example, the term 'null' in programming means nothing or zero, which can cause confusion for computers and result in error messages or website crashes [41922].
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions:
The articles also mention instances where individuals have had to manipulate their names or take alternative actions to work around the limitations of computer systems. For example, individuals like Patrick McKenzie and Janice Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele have faced challenges with their names being too long for forms or IDs, leading to issues with various services. In some cases, individuals have had to change their names or seek manual interventions to address the software limitations caused by human factors [41922]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
software |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to hardware:
- The articles do not mention any software failure incidents occurring due to contributing factors originating in hardware. Therefore, there is no information available regarding software failures caused by hardware issues.
(b) The software failure incident occurring due to software:
- The articles discuss software failure incidents that originate in software itself. Specifically, the incidents are related to issues with computer systems being confused or crashing due to certain names, such as the last name 'Null' causing error messages or website crashes. These issues are attributed to the nature of computer programming and the limitations of systems when handling specific names [41922]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The articles do not provide any information about a software failure incident related to malicious intent to harm the system.
(b) The software failure incidents discussed in the articles are non-malicious in nature. The failures are primarily due to the limitations of computer systems when handling certain names, such as the last name 'Null' causing error messages or crashes on websites. These incidents are a result of the systems not being designed to handle edge cases like extremely long names or specific terms like 'Null' in the programming language. Users have had to find workarounds to deal with these issues, such as manipulating the spelling of their names on online forms. The problems faced by individuals with unique names are more related to system limitations and design rather than any malicious intent [41922]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
From the provided articles, the software failure incidents related to the intent of the failure can be categorized as follows:
(a) poor_decisions:
- The software failure incidents related to the last names 'Null' and 'Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele' highlight issues caused by poor decisions in the design and implementation of computer systems. These incidents demonstrate how the systems were not adequately designed to handle edge cases such as extremely long or unique names, leading to error messages, crashes, and usability issues [41922].
(b) accidental_decisions:
- The software failure incidents related to the last names 'Null' and 'Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele' can also be attributed to accidental decisions or unintended consequences. Individuals like Christopher Null, Jennifer Null, and Janice Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele faced challenges due to the unintended limitations of the systems, which were not intentionally designed to cause inconvenience or errors for users with specific names [41922]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence, accidental |
(a) The software failure incident occurring due to development incompetence is evident in the articles when discussing the issues faced by individuals with certain names causing errors or crashes in computer systems. The failure is attributed to the systems not being designed to handle edge cases related to specific names, such as the last name 'Null' or extremely long names like Janice Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele [41922].
(b) The software failure incident occurring accidentally is also highlighted in the articles, particularly when individuals like Patrick McKenzie in Japan face challenges due to the limitations of the systems in handling names that do not fit the standard format. These issues are not intentional but arise due to the mismatch between the system requirements and the unique names of individuals [41922]. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident described in the articles seems to be more of a permanent nature. The issue stems from the design and limitations of the computer systems themselves, particularly in handling certain names that are too long or have specific meanings like 'Null.' These problems are inherent to the systems and not easily resolved, leading to ongoing difficulties for individuals with such names when interacting with various online platforms and services. The incidents mentioned in the articles highlight how the software failures are a result of fundamental design choices and constraints within the systems, making them more of a permanent nature [41922]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, omission, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the articles is related to crashes. The incident involves websites crashing or showing error messages when certain names, such as 'Null,' are entered into online forms. For example, the article mentions that some websites will crash when the last name 'Null' is entered, while others will show error messages about the last name field being left blank or being a reserved term [41922].
(b) omission: The incident also involves omission failures where the system omits to perform its intended functions. People with names that confuse computers, like 'Null,' have faced issues with entering their personal information on various platforms such as airplane tickets, government websites, and utility bills. This omission occurs when the system does not accept certain names or shows error messages, leading to users having to resort to alternative methods like making arrangements over the phone [41922].
(c) timing: There is no specific mention of timing-related failures in the articles.
(d) value: The incident does not involve failures due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The incident does not involve failures due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The other behavior observed in this software failure incident is related to edge cases in a computer database. These edge cases refer to problems for which the system was not designed, such as handling names that are too long or have specific characteristics like 'Null.' People with names that confuse computers have had to manipulate the spelling of their names on online forms or use initials to work around the system limitations. This behavior falls under the category of edge cases that the system was not initially designed to handle [41922]. |