The National Software Council is an independent organization founded by people dedicated to keeping the U.S. software industry strong, to growing its contribution to national well-being, and to nurturing a solid foundation for trust in software.
The NSC will work to make the USA a model information society through efficient production and application of the most safe, dependable, secure, reliable, and usable software, designed and constructed by ethical and responsible professionals.
Computer software is the raw material of the information society. Software either stands alone or is embedded in other systems and is the vital part of something larger.
Each day more people come to depend on software without knowing how much, when, where, and who built it.
The more people depend on software, the more vulnerable they become to the consequences of software failures.
The economic security and safety of societies depend on the mastery of software development and application.
Billions of dollars are spent annually for software systems that are never delivered, are unreliable, unsafe and vulnerable to sabotage.
Government, industry and academia must unite to create a professional, ethical, and responsible software industry.
Because of its rapid technological development, R&D in software systems and tools must be maintained and supported.
The NSC seeks to be an independent, watchdog organization capable of assessing software systems for use by the public, industry, and government. The NSC seeks to become an organization recognized for its expertise on the economics of software, the safety of software systems, and the ethical obligations of software professionals. The NSC will focus on software value, education, and safety-critical software systems used in national defense and security, medical treatment and diagnostics, energy production and communication, and trade and commerce.
The NSC works by thinking globally, sharing nationally, and acting locally.