[COFF] Early programs that were run more than once?

That was the title of a sidebar in Australia's "Silicon Chip" electronics magazine this month, and referred to the alleged practice of running scientific and engineering programs many times to ensure consistent output, as hardware error checks weren't the best in those days (bit-flips due to electrical noise etc). Anyway, the mag is seeking corroboration on this (credit given where due, of course); I find it a bit hard to believe that machines capable of running complex programs did not have e.g. parity checking... Thanks. -- Dave