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most worked correctly, for a very specific definition of correctly.

That doesn't mean incorrectness isn't there. That means the circumstances necessary for any incorrectness to manifest in a measurable way didn't happen.




Perhaps, but that is true for any form of engineering. There is no building on earth that can withstand impacts by Texas-sized meteorites, making them incorrectly constructed in those very specific circumstances. Correctness is whether it performs to the requirements of the spec, and if that spec contains tradeoffs that accept non-functioning in certain extreme circumstances then not functioning in those circumstances is NOT incorrect behavior.


I'm not talking about extraordinary events like a giant meteor strike though. I strongly suspect there are plenty of buildings that would collapse if there was a small flood or if they were hit by a car in the wrong place when they have been designed to remain standing in those circumstances. They're incorrectly designed, or incorrectly built, or incorrectly maintained. There's so many ways for things to fail. The only reason they've not collapsed is because those circumstances have never arisen. They probably never will. That doesn't make them correct.




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