A Python Bug That Crashed a $160M Startup — Could It Happen to You?
Discover how a single Python bug led to Digg’s downfall from a $160M tech giant to a $500K acquisition. Learn lessons to avoid catastrophic software failures.
In 2011, venture capitalist and Netscape founder Marc Andreesen famously said, “Software is eating the world,” which served as a wake-up call for many.
Since then, the doors to all things programmable began to open. However, behind the flourishing software-driven products, a single bug could potentially bring everything crashing down.
For example, a “catastrophic” software release indirectly led to the collapse of Digg, a tech site once rivaling Reddit, ultimately resulting in its acquisition for just $500,000 after once being valued at $160 million.
Unexpectedly, after two years of redesign and a month spent hunting for a bug, the root cause turned out to be related to a single Python function. By then, it was too late to fix the issue.
This article aims to help developers avoid similar pitfalls.