Mainframed
Many years ago, a 'friend' landed a prestigious 1 year industry placement with the manufacturing controls systems dept. of a global car manufacturer. No one in the history of getting this 3rd year placement had not been invited back full time post graduation.

He was generally well-liked by the other staff and entrusted by his colleagues one day to go and change the tapes in the mainframe, but only "after checking with HSG" (hardware support group - but like 'IT support'). "It's only changing tapes" thinks he, "No need to bother them".

Confidently in he went and started his routine. Unlock the cabinet with the tapes, delay the spooler, take off tape, replace tape, re-engage spooler, turn key for locking the cabinet.

When he walked back in to the control room he noticed all 75 or so colleagues staring at him open mouthed.

It was then he learned, through an Alex Ferguson style hair dryer rant from his boss, that the tapes were not locked. The key he had turned on and off was the power switch. For 9 country's computer controlled, 24 hour, robotic production systems. It was estimated that £9 million was lost in production delays.

He wasn't invited back after he graduated.
(prescottsflu infected you at, Fri 25 Sep 2009, 8:12, 4 replies)

that's an impressive fuck up!
*click*
( spesh., Fri 25 Sep 2009, 10:17, closed)

.
Ouch.....just......Ouch :( Poor fucker
(Obi wanker nobi Its not a bug, its an unexpected feature, Fri 25 Sep 2009, 11:57, closed)

To be fair
It was probably a very stupid idea on their part to leave the key switch that controls everything looking like a plain old cabinet lock. They might have wanted to keep the key somewhere safe, or made a warning message?
(stubbledchin, Fri 25 Sep 2009, 12:51, closed)

And what are the chances ...
... that a key switch on a tape cabinet actually switched off manufacturing in nine countries? That a major manufacturer would have a system in which operations in nine countries depended on running links to one machine in London?

Sorry, but I think somebody here is exaggerating just a tad.
(ubergeekian, Sun 27 Sep 2009, 7:51, closed)