Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

A $251 Million Typo

Posted by Zonk on from the that's-a-big-oops dept.

theodp writes "A Taiwan stock trader is jobless after a typo left her company looking at a paper loss of more than $12 million when what was supposed to have been a small order mistakenly resulted in a $251 million purchase. 'Something like this is difficult to explain to superiors,' a company exec explained."

9 of 415 comments (clear)

  1. Haha by Exodious · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hmm, I don't think a simple "whoops" would suffice here ;)

  2. Bad Interface? by diakka · · Score: 4, Funny

    Here's how i would have designed the application...

    Warning: You're about to spend $251,000,000! That is a lot of Fucking money! Are you sure you wish to continue [OK] [Cancel]

    Hey now... I know you said ok... but that really is a fuckload of money.. are you serious about this purchase? [OK] [Cancel]

    Ok... But don't say I didn't warn ya. Please press the OK button 50 more times to confirm or Cancel if you change your mind [OK] [Cancel]

    Seriously tho.. $12 million in losses... Why not fire some programmers while you're at it.

    --
    -- Knowledge shared is power lost. -- Aleister Crowley
  3. Fubon? by fwc · · Score: 5, Funny
    Fubon has to be an acronym for *something*.... Anyone?

    Fouled up by one number, perhaps?

  4. hard to explain to superiors... by nietsch · · Score: 4, Funny

    "'Something like this is difficult to explain to superiors,' a company exec explained."

    I propose laying off those superiors instead, as they have trouble understanding something that can be quite easily explained in a slashdot summary...

    --
    This space is intentionally staring blankly at you
  5. Re:How can such a mistake be made? by RDW · · Score: 4, Funny

    They probably licensed the Amazon 'One Click Order' patent.

  6. Actually her manager didnt want to fire her, by imr · · Score: 4, Funny

    He just pressed the wrong key.

  7. Re:Nice... by ISaidItOmega · · Score: 5, Funny
    You people are being way too harsh on this trader... haven't any of you ever suffered from a typo? I know I have. Last month when I was writing an e-mail to my girlfriend, instead of typing,

    "I miss you hunny and I can't wait to see you this weekend ;) ...",

    I typed,

    "Jesus Christ woman you have ruined my life and I've been cheating on you with your sister!!"

    ... I hate keyboards...

  8. Re:Nice... by Rasta+Prefect · · Score: 4, Funny

    I do that all the time. I mean, the keys are right next to each other...

    --
    Why?
  9. Re:Nice... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    http://bash.org/?5300