[ not really trying to start a discussion, just thought some people
here might be interested in this ]
The following item comes from Australia's Defense
Science and Technology Organization and wire reports:
"The reuse of object-oriented code has caused tactical headaches for
Australia's armed forces. As virtual reality simulators assume larger
roles in helicopter training, programmers have gone to great lengths
to increase the realism of their scenarios, including detailed
landscapes and--in one case--herds of kangaroos (since disturbed
animals might give away a helicopter's position).
"The head of the Defense Science and Technology Organization's Land
Operations/Simulation division reportedly instructed developers to
model the local marsupials' movements and reactions to helicopters.
Being efficient programmers, the programmers simply reappropriated
some code originally used to model infantry detachment reactions under
the same stimuli, changed the mapped icon from a soldier to a kangaroo,
and increased the figures' speed of movement.
"Eager to demonstrate their flying skills for some visiting American
pilots, hotshot Australian pilots buzzed the virtual kangaroos in low
flight. The kangaroos scattered, as predicted, and the visiting
Americans nodded appreciatively--then did a double-take as the
kangaroos reappeared from behind a hill and launched a barrage of
Stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter. Apparently, the programmers
had forgotten to remove that part of the infantry coding.
"Simulator supervisors report that pilots from that point onward have
strictly avoided kangaroos, just as they were meant to."