Slashdot Mirror
Computer Error Grounds Japanese Flights
zephiros writes "Mainichi Daily News reports that a "computer glitch" in Tokyo air traffic control systems resulted in the cancellation of 203 flights this weekend. At 7am Saturday, the error "caused the names of airlines and flight numbers to disappear from radar screens." A Japan Times article suggests the problem may be related to upgrades on a system which exchanges flight plans with the Defense Agency. Makes one wonder about the integration and maintenance risks of systems like CAPPS II."
Sure look at the photo : http://web.ukonline.co.uk/eric.price/humour2/AIRPO RT.jpg
Because this is Slashdot, where every article must somehow involve a violation of rights by the big bad government.
Euhhh . . . . wasn't that Linus Thorvalds? =]
Veni, Vidi, Velcro!
1. Sir, Is your computer plugged in?
2. We are going to need some registration information before we get started.
3. Oh, we don't support that OS
4. Anything else, have a nice day
Your hot-standby mouse should have kicked in and taken over without you noticing.. ;)
Get your own free personal location tracker
I think it's obviously Y2K related. Civilization as we know it should be coming to an end in a week or so.
I am NOT a man!
I am a free number!
"Computers are just no good," said one 51-year-old company manager leaving for Sapporo. "I'm sure they're helpful, but they're just too fragile." Uh, yeah, I also have a feeling they may be a little helpful. Good luck controlling 70 percent of all air traffic in Japan with abacii and the Everyday Memory Builder...
Loger Murdock: We have crearance Crarence.
Captain Oveur: Loger, Loger. What's our vector Victor?
Tower voice: Tower's ladio crearance, over!
Captain Oveur: That's Crarence Oveur! Oveur.
Tower voice: Loger.
Roger Murdock: Huh?
Tower voice: Loger, over.
Roger Murdock: Huh?
Captain Oveur: Huh?
I've never been able to crash helloworld.c.
Computer related story about a programming error halting Air traffic control system in Japan is entered in a pre-posting queue to Slashdot.
DETAILS: Limited and not noteworthy.
REAL NEWSWORTHYNESS: Not really. No deaths reported.
DATELINE: SLASHDOT HQ
PREPOST WORD SEARCH: code runs check for Important items. - keyword search generate matches for two known hot item words [COMPUTER & JAPAN]
HENTAI AND GIANT ROBOT FACTOR?: n/a
CUTE BABE?: n/a
SEARCH FOR BIG NAMES- JOBS, ELLISON, GATES, TORVALDS, STALLMAN, CowboyNeal?: n/a
Microsoft Bashing Factor: High
PRIMARY ACTION TAKEN: Story authorizes posting of story to Slashdot
SECONDARY ACTION TAKEN: activate Inquisitors of the Holy Order of Linux, First Poster Squad IM'ed, new Sex story featuring Whicky the slashdot cat beta authorized.
STATUS REPORT: Status Quo Achieved.
RESOLUTION: Computer error found between keyboard and chair
Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23
to the tune of: "Model of a Modern Major General", with apologies to
Gilbert and Sullivan...
Model of a Slashdot Personality
I am the very model of a Slashdot personality.
I intersperse obscenity with tedious banality.
Addresses I have plenty of, both genuine and ghosted too,
On all the countless topics that my drivel is cross-posted to.
Your bandwidth I will fritter with my whining and my sniveling,
And you're the one who pays the bill, downloading all my driveling.
My enemies are numerous, and no-one would be blaming you
For cracking my head open after I've been rudely flaming you.
I hate to lose an argument (by now I should be used to it).
I wouldn't know a valid point if I was introduced to it.
My learning is extensive but consists of mindless trivia,
Designed to fan my ego, which is larger than Bolivia.
The comments that I vomit forth, disguised as jest and drollery,
Are really just an exercise in unremitting trollery.
I say I'm frank and forthright, but that's merely lies and vanity,
The gibberings of one who's at the limits of his sanity.
If only I could get a life, as many people tell me to;
If only Mom could find a circus freak-show she could sell me to;
If I go off to Zanzibar to paint the local scenery;
If I lose all my fingers in a mishap with machinery;
If I survive to twenty, which is somewhat problematical;
If what I post was more mature, or slightly more grammatical;
If I could learn to spell a bit, and maybe even punctuate;
Would I still be the loathsome and objectionable punk you hate?
But while I have this tiresome urge to prance around and show my face,
It simply isn't safe for normal people here in cyberspace.
To stick me in Old Sparky and turn on the electricity
Would be a fitting punishment for my egocentricity.
I always have the last word; so, with uttermost finality,
That's all from me, the model of a Slashdot personality.
THIS IS YOU
At 7am Saturday, the error "caused the names of airlines and flight numbers to disappear from radar screens."
I'm guessing there was an article posted yesterday on Slashdot that linked directly to their system.
"Uh, folks, we're experiencing some moderate Godzilla-related turbulence at this time, so I'm going to go ahead and ask you to put your seatbelts back on. When we get to 35 thousand feet, he usually does let go, so from there on out, all we have to worry about is Mothra, and, uh, we do have reports he's tied up with Gamera and Rodan at the present time. Thank you very much."
Don't believe the lies!
Never fight naked, unless you're in prison...
If this was an error in the code, then how were they able to repair it in just 54 minutes? That's a pretty narrow window when it comes to rounding up the programmers, searching through the source...
If this was the 80's, I could say: "Their programmers are Samari trained, and if they don't work fast and accurate, they have to commit hari kari (disembowelment) in front of their peers.", and everybody would believe me. Guess I'll just have to make up shit about Islam instead.
Table-ized A.I.
Does the ICAO [icao.org] have strong procedural rules in place on what to do in the event of a slashdotting?
Might be time to get out the rulebook...