Almost-Reliable
A hammer is reliable in that it will usually do the job of a hammer, in the right hands, and as long as it is not expected to do anything else. The more complicated a thing, the more room for less reliability. You don't want to bet your life on computer software, . . . or hardware, if you can help it (we are constantly reminded of what can go wrong in the news). Ironically though, the computer revolution was driven by the need to get the unreliable human out of the system.
The Earth itself is only almost-reliable in many ways: volcanoes may erupts, asteroids may fall and hit something, economic disasters may devastate small or large areas, and what lurks behind the next corner is anyone's guess.
Reliability differs from quality in that it is just one aspect of quality. Also, certain things can be relied upon to lack quality (and many manufactured goods have a certain lack of quality or reliability purposely built in, for your convenience). It seems that the only way to make some things is to make them fail safe predictably (light bulbs, automobiles).
Types/Categories
1. Almost-reliably good: People, product, services. (Employees. Gadgets. Internet services.)
2. Almost-reliably bad: People, product, services. (Criminals. Shuttle insulation. Government services.)
Examples
Ol' Reliable.
They give licences out to everyone that applies these day.
Batting better than average.
At least that construction ahead "Wrong Way" sign was accurate.
When you call, please try to disregard any heavy breathing that is accompanied by loud banging noises and loud screeching noises.
