All of these recent problems have been due to defective products from one company, largely due to design flaws or production flaws. Some flaws were reported years ago, others just months ago, but all are getting treated like a public relations issue rather than a quality or technology issue. QNX and Netware often have uptimes of years. OpenBSD has had "only one remote hole in the default install, in more than 7 years", so clearly it's possible to make products that are up to the task.

Granted that software is sold "As Is" and without without even the implied warranty of merchantibility or fitness for a particular purpose, but if a product is seen to be so egregiously unfit for a networked environment, shouldn't truth in advertising [itweb.co.za] or some form of disclosure [ftc.gov] be required?

Especially now that identity theft is on the rise, using unsuitable products to store personal, medical, or financial data could easily result in gross- or willful-negligence actions.

At some point the software or claims about the software need to be harmonized and seemingly fraudulent claims about suitability withdrawn.