CNET Special Feature: Bug bites

Users have practically become inured to bugs--glitches in hardware and software products that make the PC experience unpleasant at best and counterproductive at worst. The problem can become far more serious now that computer technology is basically inherent in the way anything works. This has become a pressing issue lately with the approach of the year 2000 and one of the gnarliest bugs out there: the millennium issue.

Moreover, with the advent of "Internet time," product cycles have become incredibly short in the high-tech industry, which means that releases are being forced out as quickly as possible. Business imperatives are apparent in Web browser software, for example, as competitors battle it out for market share and stint on thorough testing. All too often the result is a hornet's nest of errors and security flaws, and even PC giants such as Microsoft and Intel have had to patch things up with users.

One thing the growing dependence on computing technology in all sectors of our social and economic infrastructure means is that there's more trouble ahead. CNET's special feature puts bugs under the magnifying glass, discussing the damage they can do, how they can literally kill, and how users can deal with PC glitches. There's also a look back at the ten great bugs of history and dispatches from the reader front. Click to read all about this topical issue.