Beyond the Yellow Line
Often used to represent the boundary between the safe and the dangerous, we see yellow lines in places warning about potential risks. Similarly, the world of computing is also increasingly separated by a notional yellow line. Commercial computers typically require a benign environment to operate reliably. The more critical the application, the more controlled and benign the environment needs to be.
As more complex computer-based applications are required to venture beyond a benign environment, such as defence equipment, ship machinery and offshore installations – their ability to operate reliably becomes a function of their protection. To control the external environment in these applications is near impossible. So the more extreme the environment, the more protection is required for computers, especially when they are industrial-grade.
