Reminds me of another "idiotic" programmer story. A bank programmer was working on a program to send out a letter to all of the customers who had accounts with balances over $1,000,000. At some point, he hard-coded a test name into the program, and forgot to take it out. The letters were all sent out, starting with the line: "Dear Rich B*st*rd," (*s added by me) -Randy Glenn PICxpert-at-home.com PICxpert-at-picxpert.com PICxpert-at-yahoo.com Randy_Glenn-at-tvo.org http://www.picxpert.com/ Those packing a big grudge, usually pack a big mouth along with it. -----Original Message----- From: pic microcontroller discussion list [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Jinx Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 6:07 PM To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: [PICLIST] [OT]:Streuth mate, tie those kangaroos down will ya ? The re-use of object-oriented computer code has caused tactical headaches for Australia's armed forces. As virtual reality simulators assume larger roles in helicopter combat training, programmers have gone to great lengths to increase the realism of their scenarios, including detailed landscapes, and in the case of the Northern Territory's Operation Phoenix - herds of kangaroos (since disturbed animals might give away a helicopter's position). The head of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation's Land Operations (Simulation Division) reportedly instructed developers to model the local marsupials' movements and reactions to helicopters. Being efficient programmers, they appropriated some code originally used to model infantry detachment reactions under the same circumstances, changed a mapped icon from a soldier to a kangaroo, and increased the figures' speed of movement. Eager to demonstrate their flying skills for some visiting American pilots, the hotshot Aussies buzzed the virtual kangaroos in low flight during a simulation. The kangaroos scattered, as predicted, and the visiting Americans nodded appreciatively ... then did a double-take as the kangaroos reappeared from behind a hill and launched a barrage of Stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter. Apparently the programmers had forgotten to remove that part of the infantry coding ! The Yanks left with a new-found respect for Australian wildlife. As to what wombats, wallabies and platypuses carry in their pouches, that shall remain a secret in the interest of national security. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.