A Requirements Specification states “The software shall show the weather for the next 24 hours”. The programmer delivers software that runs for 24 hours showing the current weather. However, what the user actually wanted was for it to show the weather forecast over the next 24 hours. What kind of computer failure is this?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question presents a scenario where the Requirements Specification asks for the weather forecast over the next 24 hours, but the delivered software shows the current weather for 24 hours. The task is to identify the type of computer failure.
Option a: Malice. This implies deliberate harm or sabotage by someone with intent. The scenario describes a mismatch between user intent and system output, not an intentional attack or malicious action, so this is not the correct characterization.
Option b: Misuse. Misuse would involve using the system in an unintended way, or the user exploiting features beyond its intended use. Here, the system itself misinterprets or misimplements the requested functionality rather than the user misusing it, so this option is misleading.
Option c: Software error, "bug". A bug is a defect in the software code that leads to incorrect behavior. While the outcome (showing current weather instead of a 24-hour forecast) is a faulty behavior, the root cause in this context is more about interpreting the requirement rather than a generic coding bug. If the code correctly shows a forecast for 24 hours but the requirement was misunderstood, it’s less precise to call it a bug.
Option d: Computer solves the wrong problem. This phrase captures the core issue: the software fulfilled the literal instruction (show weather for 24 hours) but not the user’s actual need (a forecast over the next 24 hours). The system solved a different problem than intended, which aligns with the described failure mode of misalignment between specification and implementation.
In summary, the scenario demonstrates a misalignment between the intended problem to be solved and the one actually solved by the software, which corresponds to the notion that the computer solved the wrong problem rather than simply having a bug or being misused or maliciously attacked.

Professional Ethics in Computing (COMP3056 UNNC) (AUC1 25-26) Quiz 5: Trust, Safety & Reliability

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

What is the final outcome of the Requirement Specification process, which serves as a reference point for developers ?

Recording a system requirement for future use is called?

True or false: The software requirements specification is a document created by the vendor containing all the features and functionality of the software they need to create.

A specification for a new game is shown below.'The application must be multi-user and contain a timer and three levels'At which stage will such a specification be required?

True or false: The software requirements specification is a document created by the vendor containing all the features and functionality of the software they need to create.

A specification for a new game is shown below.'The application must be multi-user and contain a timer and three levels'At which stage will such a specification be required?

True or false: The software requirements specification is a document created by the vendor containing all the features and functionality of the software they need to create.

The system specification describes the _________________________ .

More Practical Tools for Students Powered by AI Study Helper

Homework AI Solver

Stylized AI Paper Writer

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation AI Academic Writing Tool

In-Class Translation Assistant

AI Note Generator

AI Quiz Answers

Past Exam Questions from University Test Bank

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler