You are already using the perfect word for unreliable software. According to [The New Hacker's Dictionary][1] > **flaky** /adj./ > >(var sp. 'flakey') Subject to frequent lossage. This use is of course related to the common slang use of the word to describe a person as eccentric, crazy, or just unreliable. A system that is flaky is working, sort of -- enough that you are tempted to try to use it -- but fails frequently enough that the odds in favor of finishing what you start are low. Commonwealth hackish prefers dodgy or wonky. If you want to know what [lossage][2], [dodgy][3], or [wonky][4] mean, you'll need to follow the links. Following wonky gives you more synonyms. [1]: http://www.outpost9.com/reference/jargon/jargon_21.html#TAG640 [2]: http://www.outpost9.com/reference/jargon/jargon_27.html#TAG1071 [3]: http://www.outpost9.com/reference/jargon/jargon_19.html#TAG489 [4]: http://www.outpost9.com/reference/jargon/jargon_38.html#TAG2001