Nuclear reactor isn't using a licensed copy of Windows

_Jimlad_ · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:32

When building a multi-million dollar nuclear reactor there are few areas that anyone would want to skimp on. When a leak of radiation could effectively kill and make a vast area inhabitable for quite some time you would think that no details would be overlooked right?

Below is a picture of the console of a newly built nuclear power plant in Iran. The console, for those who don't know, runs the entire plant and maintains that all safeguards remain active and in place; effectively, it prevents an entire meltdown. With such a high valued piece of equipment you would think that the Iranians would have splurged for a licensed copy of Windows!

It is not known if the plant is operational yet as it has been a heated battle between Iran and the UN about Iran's intentions with nuclear capabilities. The issue here is not if they should have nuclear power but that they should at least make sure the software running the plant, is in fact, capable of running all the operations with no chance of a meltdown!

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/03/17/nuclear-reactor-isnt-using-a-licensed-copy-of-windows

Mik3 · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:33

Hehehe

Pirates still rule the waves!!!

Rroff · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:34

Well uh windows would hardly be my OS of choice for a nuclear power plant...

edit that screen looks more like something hacked up in visio than a real functioning bit of software for controlling something like a power plant.

uber soldat · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:36

The US Government sold them that copy of "Windows"

*Puts tin foil hat on

platypus · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:37

Microsoft aren't legally allowed to sell a Windows licence to Iran.

knowledge123 · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:37

Rroff said:
Well uh windows would hardly be my OS of choice for a nuclear power plant...

edit that screen looks more like something hacked up in visio than a real functioning bit of software for controlling something like a power plant.

My thoughts exactly, Windows isn't known for being the most stable of all the possible OSes available.

Never seen a validation message like that before in any version of Windows that I can remember~

reflux · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:39

A comment below the original post says it's for some Siemens plant management software.

The Dread Pirate · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:40

Rroff said:
Well uh windows would hardly be my OS of choice for a nuclear power plant...

Damn right it would spend more time powered down than supplying power

Rroff · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:40

Looks more like the software license not the OS.

Cosimo · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:42

uber soldat said:
The US Government sold them that copy of "Windows"

It's a "special" edition.

Burnsy2023 · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:43

knowledge123 said:
My thoughts exactly, Windows isn't known for being the most stable of all the possible OSes available.

What would you suggest then?

Windows has successfully been deployed in multiple safety critical situations without incident.

muon · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:45

So if neowin can get photos of the console I'm guessing the CIA have about 50 agents at the plant?

[TW]Fox · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:46

There is a US Trade Ambargo on Iran. They cannot buy Windows. Neither can Iranair replace its fleet of aging second hand planes.

Nikumba · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:54

Its the WinCE Runtime licence that has expired, not Windows

Strife212 · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:55

Burnsy2023 said:
What would you suggest then?

Windows has successfully been deployed in multiple safety critical situations without incident.

Why use it for running a nuclear power station though, all its features are worthless, surely an embedded system or totally custom code would be far better.

XPE · 17 Mar 2009 at 15:57

uber soldat said:
The US Government sold them that copy of "Windows"

If the yanks really want to put a stop to iran nuclear power they should have sold them windows vista

uber soldat · 17 Mar 2009 at 16:01

I can now exclusively reveal the wallpaper that the computer uses:

Blackstar_solar · 17 Mar 2009 at 16:02

Windows does report license expiry like that does it?

Doesn't that suggest that the license for the software itself has expired (not for the OS)?

Or its BS.

Also echo M$ Windows != OS for Nuclear Reactor!

Antar Bolaeisk · 17 Mar 2009 at 16:04

Strife212 said:
Why use it for running a nuclear power station though, all its features are worthless, surely an embedded system or totally custom code would be far better.

There's lots of existing SCADA software out there already, most now in a WYSIWYG type format, why would you want to code something from scratch? I would also imagine that there are hardware failsafes in case the software does go belly up, particularly for something as critical as a nuclear power plant.

_Jimlad_ said:
...When a leak of radiation could effectively kill and make a vast area inhabitable for quite some time...

Oh No! The mutants are coming!

Sankari · 17 Mar 2009 at 16:06

It's not Windows. It's WinCC by Siemens.