Failures Mark First National Test of Emergency Alert System

An anonymous reader writes "The first full-scale test of the National Emergency Alert System failed on Tuesday at 2 PM. Some radio and television networks did not air any alert, while the performance of others was inconsistent. 'Some DirectTV customers reported hearing Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" play during the test. Some Comcast subscribers saw their cable boxes turn to QVC before the alert, while Time Warner Cable customers in New York did not see any alert at all.'" If you were tuned to any American broadcaster at the time, did the alert system reach you?

Comments

Um... That is why it is called a "TEST"

[cwgmpls]

Tests are supposed to fine failures. That's what they are for.

Re:Um... That is why it is called a "TEST"

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't think you understood what he was saying. Hurricanes don't require a NATIONAL alert. Communities affected already receive regional emergency broadcasts. Same goes for tornadoes/earthquakes/etc. It is unlikely in the event of a nuclear/terrorist attack the government would alert the american public, since odds are it will either 1) Do no good and just cause widespread panic and be too late to allow evacuation or 2) Turn out to be a false alert and piss everyone off. Like the other AC, I can't see any actual use for the system. And this is totally ignoring that a radio/television broadcast alert system is going to miss a *LOT* more people than it did even 10 years ago as we move away from those mediums. Colleges have it right: an opt-in text message alert system that warns you of danger no matter where you are.

Re:Government failure?

[ackthpt]

Each failure is an opportunity to learn and improve.

The real failure would be to not identify failures and not improve - then we'd have to be blasted about it by the sensationalist media, trumpeting how inept government is.

Re:Seriously?

[GodfatherofSoul]

Fool! Without that alert, how on earth are you going to talk the closest girl to you into impending disaster sex?

Re:Government failure?

[BradleyUffner]

Those words never go together. I am shocked.

Yeah... except it was the private broadcast companies that failed to properly show the alert not the goverment.

Re:Spotty

[bennomatic]

I was at my computer, with several browser windows and a couple of email clients open. My cell phone was right next to me. When the time came, my Outlook reminder popped up and told me it was time for lunch.

Too bad these notifications don't reach those of us who don't rely on antiquated broadcast media.

Re:Government failure?

[Anonymous Coward]

I have to say, I think an actual failure would be if it were during an emergency.

As I say at work, this is why we test. Debugging finds bugs. That's kinda what it's for.

Re:Government failure?

[Anonymous Coward]

You know what the word "Test" means, right?

Re:Government failure?

[neokushan]

^ This

Testing for something and finding that the test didn't pass is NOT a failure of a system. It's exactly what it said - a test. Now they know where the faults are they can work on fixing them.

Re:Government failure?

[RockClimbingFool]

Hey, you do know the difference between DEVELOPMENT testing and ACCEPTANCE testing, right?

The national alert system is a product in development. This was a test to determine what is working and what is not working. You can simulate and test individual pieces all you want, but until you get the opportunity to test the entire system, you have no idea what links in the chain are broken.

This country is full of fucking idiots that have no clue how engineering is performed. Just keep your misinformation to yourself and stop trying to make those around you dumber.