Your software stinks. I should sue you...

Throw out the models that show how expensive it is to let bugs make it into product deployment. Bugs are expensive, but they just might cost you even more in the coming months. Recent frustration with software quality has led the European Commission, to consider making software creators liable (i.e. getting sued) for writing bad code.

That's right.... The cost of bugs just went up. CNet broke the story about a week ago and since then the blogosphere has exploded with comments, frustrations, and insight into the possibility that software companies might have to suffer more than just an angry customer or a public flaming:

"A priority area for possible EU action is 'extending the principles of consumer protection rules to cover licensing agreements of products like software downloaded for virus protection, games, or other licensed content,' according to the commissioners' agenda. 'Licensing should guarantee consumers the same basic rights as when they purchase a good: the right to get a product that works with fair commercial conditions.'

EU consumer commissioner Meglena Kuneva said that more accountability for software makers, and for companies providing digital services, would lead to greater consumer choice."

Certainly any such advocacy has to expect to encounter massive international resistance. It would seem that applying Underwriterâ€™s Laboratory approval to simple software ideas would prove to be overly burdensome for creative software developers. Great ideas might not survive the day!

Further, I have doubts about the feasibility of assessing â€œactualâ€ and punitive damages as a result of software quality. Proving a direct connection would likely be expensive and ultimately unfulfilling especially damages were to the collected.

Regardless of our feelings on the subjects, the winds of change are blowing. Consumers want their software to work right and they are pushing their dissatisfaction to new limits. Software quality just became a bigger priority for all of us.

Read the full article here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10237212-92.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0