Re:Let's hope its just software (Score 1)

The big surprise is how *well* it's been operating until now. A quote in this Planetary Society article (emphasis mine):

"based on Pathfinder experience and on what the people who had worked Viking and other Mars missions had to say, we [figured] one in every three days something will go wrong ...Today we're 17 for 18 and that makes me very proud and surprises me a little bit." -Jennifer Trosper, Spirit mission manager

I propose that a large piece of wood that everyone can reach (and produces a satisfying "knock" sound) be available at the next press briefing.

//planetary.org/news/2004/spirit_sol-16-17.html