bathtub curve n. Common term for the curve (resembling an end-to-end section of one of those claw-footed antique bathtubs) that describes the expected failure rate of electronics with time:

bathtub curve n.

Common term for the curve (resembling an
end-to-end section of one of those claw-footed antique bathtubs)
that describes the expected failure rate of electronics with time:
initially high, dropping to near 0 for most of the system's
lifetime, then rising again as it `tires out'. See also
burn-in period, infant mortality.

Related:

• bathtub curve: n. Common term for the curve (resembling an end-to-end section of one of those claw-footed antique bathtubs) that describes the expected failure rate of electronics with time:
  initially high, dropping to near 0 for most of the...
• infant mortality n. It is common lore among hackers (and in the electronics industry at large;
  this term is possibly techspeak by now) that the...
• infant mortality: n. It is common lore among hackers (and in the electronics industry at large;
  this term is possibly techspeak by now) that the...
• burn-in period: n. 1. A factory test designed to catch systems with {marginal} components before they get out the door;
  the theory is that burn-in will protect customers...
• burn-in period n. 1. A factory test designed to catch systems with marginal components before they get out the door;
  the theory is that burn-in will protect customers by...
• logical adj. [from the technical term `logical device',
  wherein a physical device is referred to by an arbitrary...
• crash 1. n. A sudden, usually drastic failure. Most often said of the system (q.v.
  sense 1), esp. of magnetic disk drives (the term...
• fritterware n. An excess of capability that serves no productive end.
  The canonical example is font-diddling software on...
• fritterware: n. An excess of capability that serves no productive end.
  The canonical example is font-diddling software on...