Lessons from Chernobyl for IT

In 1986 I went to the former Soviet Union for the first time. As it happened it was just three months after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. I recall bringing a suitcase full of tuna fish, Spam (the old kind!) and crackers with me due to concerns about the safety of the food supply. I encountered many Russians who were similarly concerned - young mothers who were afraid to give their children milk and many who did not trust the safety of fruits and vegetables grown in the Ukraine region. However, since that time what I have found out about the Chernobyl disaster is even more disturbing and represents a real object lesson for the IT profession.