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#4180779 - 10/12/15 10:07 PM Airline computer problems again  
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Is it me or does it seem like about once a month a major airline has some kind of computer system problem that ends up disrupting mass amounts of travelers? What the heck is the problem? They claim they are not being hacked. Is it because they just don't care? It's always a "software update issue". What crappy IT companies are they using? It happens way too much.

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#4180790 - 10/12/15 10:40 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Ours was hacked, unofficially of course.

#4180801 - 10/12/15 11:12 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Incompetence feels safer than being hacked. I'd say 9/10 times its actually someone hacking it. Or if hacking is too hot of a word they are disrupting it on purpose.

#4180835 - 10/13/15 01:26 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Still using Windows 2000?

#4180837 - 10/13/15 01:36 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Hahaha, Windows is to new.


I've come to realize that many adults act more childish than most children.

#4180842 - 10/13/15 01:53 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Maybe they haven't figured out how to use that cloud thingy yet.

#4180848 - 10/13/15 02:00 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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I am trying to remember where I was a few months ago and they were still using Windows 98 on their computer terminals.

#4180889 - 10/13/15 04:14 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Most of the flight information/reservation providers such as Sabre or Galielo have their systems written in COBOL in the 70s...

Windows 98 is the least of your problems, the real problem is that the only people that understand how these systems work are either retired or dead.

No joke, that's why the systems are still being used today. It's hard to replace something you don't really understand.


When you're feeling sad, just remember that somewhere in the world, there's someone pushing a door that says "pull".
#4180896 - 10/13/15 05:26 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Cobol?

How much are they paying?

I understand Cobol and Fortran!

#4180902 - 10/13/15 07:00 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Cobol? Man that is a distant memory from college, right where was that stack of punch cards?


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#4180905 - 10/13/15 07:30 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: Alicatt]  
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Originally Posted By: Alicatt
right where was that stack of punch cards?

They were electronified in the DOS command prompt.

Seriously. That's why the DOS screen is 80 characters wide and 25 lines long.

#4180906 - 10/13/15 07:30 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: Alicatt]  
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Originally Posted By: Alicatt
Cobol? Man that is a distant memory from college, right where was that stack of punch cards?


I haven't heard the word Cobol in decades until I read this thread today.

How difficult will be for airlines to just totally replace their software with the latest technology without even needing for their I.T. folks to know Cobol.

Just update the hardware and software and then turn the old hardware and software off.

Like at my office last year they installed new computers and a new server room and new software and one day they just turn the old ones off and turn the new ones on and then totally remove all the old hardware - no problem.

#4180910 - 10/13/15 08:12 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: CG2015]  
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Originally Posted By: CG2015
How difficult will be for airlines to just totally replace their software with the latest technology without even needing for their I.T. folks to know Cobol.

1) Guess what they are doing already?
2) It's not easy.

Their whole ticket management is totally dependent on this infrastructure. If you make a mistake in the replacement job you disrupt the cash flow of the airline so you got to be extra careful. The airlines' computer systems and data exchange interfaces have millions of lines of code - a module for this, a module for that, ... - and if you don't understand IN FULL what the purpose of a module is and you only replace 98% of its functionality, you have effectively destroyed it. They can't live with a "90% solution".

What these airlines must do is akin to DIY heart transplant surgery. You shouldn't attempt it in the first place, but given that you're forced to try it you got to be extra careful, or die. Wait too long with the operation, you die. If the operation takes too long, you die. Oh, and the blood packs that you need get were ordered by credit card, and if the blood bank (=the airline passengers) learns that you're using them all for yourself your credit rating might plummet and you might not get the blood (=cash flow) when you need it most.

#4180919 - 10/13/15 09:30 AM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: Ssnake]  
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Originally Posted By: Ssnake
Originally Posted By: Alicatt
right where was that stack of punch cards?

They were electronified in the DOS command prompt.

Seriously. That's why the DOS screen is 80 characters wide and 25 lines long.

One of the old Olivetti systems I had was a hybrid of punch card with magnetic stripe, but at least the data was stored on magnetic tape cartridge, it was 8 track plus control with one byte written across the width of the tape. It had no screen just an electric typewriter for input/output - bring your own ear defenders when it was doing an output run smile


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#4180960 - 10/13/15 12:14 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Sounds like the airlines painted themselves into an expensive corner by not updating regularly starting about 20 years ago and then again 10 years ago.

#4180977 - 10/13/15 12:59 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Saw this thread and thought, "Oh man! We screwed up again!" But it wasn't us--THIS time. Yay!

(Little victories)

#4181067 - 10/13/15 03:55 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Were I was working they still did a lot of mainframe stuff. AS400, JES, JCL. All the programmers and developers were over 65. Everyone said mainframes were going away 20 years ago, so no young guys learned the programming. Now they call them legacy systems. LOL. Most of the hospital's started getting away from the mainframe stuff (going from Invision to Epic), but it took along time and was quite unnerving at times. I can just imagine the cost.

#4181068 - 10/13/15 03:59 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Assuming no foul play if it's like any other business on the planet their downtime is generally a direct result of the money they dump into IT. Sometimes the money plain old isn't there, sometimes people are just cheap.

As for completely overhauling your entire infrastructure, it isn't exactly something simple you do overnight.


Scully: Victim died of multiple stab wounds.
Mulder: *throws her a file* Ever heard of the knife alien?
#4181127 - 10/13/15 05:36 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: Ssnake]  
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Originally Posted By: Ssnake
Originally Posted By: CG2015
How difficult will be for airlines to just totally replace their software with the latest technology without even needing for their I.T. folks to know Cobol.

1) Guess what they are doing already?
2) It's not easy.


Also

3) "it works".
4) There's no warranty that the new system will work better than the current.
5) Money at play. Tons of it.

Also, probably, the new system will share the same fate of its predecessor, ie, nobody will understand it after 2 decades. Java is the new COBOL they say... and that's probably true. And I'm fine with it, it means I have a better future. biggrin


When you're feeling sad, just remember that somewhere in the world, there's someone pushing a door that says "pull".
#4181188 - 10/13/15 07:42 PM Re: Airline computer problems again [Re: LB4LB]  
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Like most companies they hate to spend on IT because they see it as something that sucks money out not brings it in. So they wait, too long as usual, and then find it's that much harder and not any cheaper.



The Jedi Master


The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
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