The Digital Human

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Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

Aleks Krotoski explores the digital world

BBC Radio 4 LW

The Digital Human: Series 20: Legacy

31/05/2021

Legacy

Series 20

BBC Radio 4 - The Digital Human, Series 20, Legacy

Aleks discovers how software can leave a legacy.

Aleks hears how damaging legacy software can be if it's not maintained properly.

Most banks, airlines even the military use legacy software because to replace it costs millions.  Instead, as companies grow or change, old software is merged with new software.  Aleks hears about ‘technical debt’, when software engineers who create original software code leave or move on, taking their expertise with them.  Without proper knowledge of the old code, maintaining legacy software can become problematic and leave a company or organisation vulnerable to technical bugs.  The damage brought by thee bugs can leave a legacy of its own.  And Aleks asks whether the software is really to blame?  

Producer: Kate Bissell 
Researcher: Anna Miles

The Digital Human: Series 20

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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The Digital Human

Series 20

Legacy

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