> > Certainly the legal system may appear senseless when people
> > successfully sue companies for cutting their own findgers off
> > hefting a lawnmower up to trim a hedge (Sunbeam) or spilling
> > coffee in their lap (McDonalds) but the fact remains that
> > without the coercive effect of court ordered remedies our
> > lives would all be a lot more hazardous, and ultimately more
> > costly, than otherwise.
>
        The coffee in the lap penalty was for $13 mil, and McDonalds lost
because they had been sued before for the same reason, and the reason was
because the temperature of the coffee is so hot that it can scald flesh (up
to third degree).  The Consumer Protection Agency had warned McD's many
times in the past about this problem too.

        In an interview after the $13 mill penalty, McD's said they would
continue the coffee temp because that's what customers wanted (hence,
they'll probably be sued again).

        My point being that McD's was sued due to negligence, and so too,
should software companies.  That is the only way we can stop software
companies from selling products that they full well know to be in error.



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