If it was just a case of the power supply being turned off, isn't it of greater concern that it too so long to trouble shoot and remedy? What about redundant fail over systems? It sounds like there was a lot more incompetence than just a single person.

Again, I will admit, I wasn't there, have no idea how their infrastructure is setup, and so on and so forth. It just seems like there were many different failures on many different levels.

And how is data entry into an electronic system not subject to the same errors that a paper system would be subject to? Yes, electronic systems have the ability to do certain checks that have been established to a set of rules, but paper would not inherently create more errors.

I'll bite on the generation gap comment.....We have and old saying, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" - there is nothing wrong with a hybrid system (as mentioned below in another comment) that would provide critical access to required information should one of the systems go down....

This is a prime example of our over-reliance on technology. For years, since I was a teen in the '80s, I always asked 'what happens if this stuff fails.' I recall events with the phone company, where the land lines wend down for almost 20 hours, due to a failure that cascaded down their redundancy plans. I remember the $#i7storm that arose out of that, both civil and political (this was a gov't crown corporation In Canada).

We see difficulties when the power goes out in retail stores, that staff is unable to 'make the correct change' with a cash transaction because of the over-reliance on technology. Hand a kid ten dollar bill with a quarter, for a nine dollar and twenty-five cent transaction, after he has entered only ten dollars as the tendered amount? Talk about confusion. Talk about the inability to function without technology.

For too long, technology (or electronic, or digital - pick your word) has become equated to good, while non-technological means is bad. Do we ever consider the consequences if technology if it fails and how do we manage during the times of that technological failure.

I worked in care facility, where medications were required to be logged and distributed at specific times for residents. Yes there were electronic health records (EHR), but this portion was kept on pen and paper that was scanned to the EHR daily. Why? Because all too often the EHR system would be inaccessible for what ever reason... where it be power failure, internet accessibility, issues with the corporate network, or issues with the out of state datacenter. The residents would always be able to get their medications due to the non-reliance on technology. All too often technology is implemented for the sake of technology, and rarely is the question asked if this is a good implementation of technology? And better yet, an even more infrequently asked question, what happens if this implementation of technology fails and how do we continue to function without that technology?

Everything in hospitals now has come down to protocols... If X occurs, do Y. Unfortunately this goes as far to determine how treatment is administered - 'we can't do this because there is not an established protocol.' Much of this arose out of the need to protect doctors/hospitals being sued into oblivion. Yet this also prevents and discourages the ability to think on ones own feet, which would have been highly valued in a situation like this. Over reliance on protocols & technology diminishes the ability to think and work through difficulties or problems.

It is truly unfortunate that such an event occurred and that lives were put at risk and/or lost. This is more than just a outbreak of ransomware, but our inability to function when technology goes wrong. That I feel is the greater concern.

And there is always the historical context that you get from printed books that is too often underrated and dismissed. While technology tend to be focused on the newest, latest, and greatest, but often forget how we got here.

And for other non-technology type topics, such as history, and at the risk of being chased out of slashdot, dare I say the social sciences... So much context is lost without the understanding of the historical evolution. Books written on religion for example, especially in North America will have a significantly different context (and bias) when compared pre/post 9/11. Not to mention the now all too common of political agendas being worked into such material - sometimes having a different context or perspective is always a good thing (even if you agree/disagree).

Studying (again a risk of getting chased off) clinical psychology, even within that domain, one could see the political influences, when I first started, everything focused on a multi-multiculturalism and when I was finished everything was evidenced based practice.. and that was just over the course of four years. For example edition 4 of one of my textbooks had absolutely no projective testing (or even any mention of it), while the 3rd edition had several sections describing the various different test that are have been used, both current and past...While the evidenced based nature of projective testing can be argued/debated (and that I won't get into), it doesn't mean they are valueless. Especially with children, some of the projective drawing tests are great for also establishing rapport - something that is often forgotten in the more evidenced based practice focused texts.

People often forget the historical value of book, and the context they provide, which otherwise is lost. Sometimes it nice to see where things have been to truly understand where things are and where they are going.

It comes down to inattentive driving. All these quote/unquote safety features are making the driver feel like then need to pay less attention. The automatic braking for collision avoidance, rear backup cameras, the sonar/beeping when backing up, or the out of lane warning - these while intended to make things safer (intended), but they also make people feel like they can pay less attention because there is an alarm that will let me know when something is amiss (unintended).

I've even noticed with myself, that after driving my wife's vehicle with these feature, I need to really be more actively aware to remember those features are not there when I'm driving my older vehicle - they do lull you into a false sense of security. People are putting far too much faith in technology and not focusing on what they should be doing, which is driving.

How true...I'm still on my Blackberry Q10, and before that, was on a Palm Treo, and before that, Samsung N400 and that's my life history of my cell phone usage. Of course I'm leaving out employment provided/on-call cell phones.

This whole planned obsolesce marketing strategy is becoming overkill when it comes to cell phones, especially with the frequency of new models being upgraded. I find it completely fascinating how the "sheep" fall into line with this marketing ploy.

I have been saying for years, that I don't want a phone that won't allow me to have a user replaceable battery and/or memory card. I would also say the same about the charger, but over the past several years, it has become less of a hassle as most manufacturers they have started to use standardized USB type connections.

So like the original post, no need to upgrade until *I* need to upgrade. And my upgrade schedule doesn't even come close to the marketing's recommended upgrade schedule.

I agree with you there, I'm on a Q10 and absolutely love it. They really did well with the Q10 keyboard. I didn't really like the feel of the Priv, but it was usable. My biggest issue most modern phones is the damn touch screen. Half the time the touch doesn't respond as it should, or it responds with the wrong key response. There is something to be said for the good, tactile response keyboard. I will miss that BB OS 10 when I eventually need to upgrade.

And let the consumer decide how much memory they want/need? Ohh, wait, that's not the Apple way. Silly me.

I agree with that. I find it nice that I don't need to get into bed with google or apple - On a BB Q10 and absolutely love it, incuding the OS (although I do dislike the light color scheme that Chen decided to go to. This was one of my fears when I heard they were bringing out an Android device is that the QNX/BB10OS would be left behind. *sigh*

How fun! Now we can advance right past the next Y2K type bug...

Grade 9 for me in the early '80s, and while I can appreciate it, it was the worst mistake of a class that I ever took. I was already using an Apple ][+ for years, and I had my own touch typing style, was up easily to 100+ wpm. Enter typing class, and Biffffzat, now I'm lucky if I can get back to 50 or 60 wpm, even all these years later. I wish it was as easy as Yoda said, "You must unlearn what you've learned." As for the 6 key question? What ever hand is closer to it.

Don't be touching my Blackberry Microsoft!!!!

I think we are seeing the effects of the expected long hours - that 60-80 work week being a badge of honor; the effects of the dependency on IT services, without the budget/forethought to provide the needed staff/support and maintenance; the get it deployed and fix it later attitude; deliverables forcing the never having the time to do it right, but always time to do it again; unrealistic project management and project goals/deliverables; threat of outsourcing/off-shoring; corporate treating staff as resources rather than as people; etc., etc., etc.

It doesn't surprise me to tell the truth. One of the reasons that I got out of I.T. (although, no one truly never really leaves I.T.)

I cant replace the battery

That should read "I CAN replace the battery"

I refuse to go with Apple, because I don't want a phone that I can't put a memory card in, or change a battery in. I refuse to go with Android because I don't want to get into bed with google and every time there is an Android update, it seems that some of your security settings are over written or everything is transferred to/from google. And most of all, I completely despise touch screen keyboards. 75% of the time when I used my wife's iphone (and past android device) that damn touchscreen/keyboard would never work or respond to my touch/gestures (I'm talking not working/responding, not just fat-fingering an entry) - hence the love for a physical tactile keyboard.

My Blackberry Q10 solves virtually all of that, though occasionally (rarely) I do run into the touchscreen issue. I cant replace the battery, I can upgrade the memory card as needed, I can drop in a new SIM (the Q10 from Verizon is unlocked to begin with) card with no issues. The only real potential problem could be the lack of app support - but honestly, I have never found this to be an issue or a significant concern.

I went from an old Samsung N400 half-flip phone, to a Palm Pilot Treo, and held on to that for almost 6 years, before I went to the BB Q10. I don't have a single regret with that decision - my daughter in laws, son in law, sister/brother in laws all with iPhones, Droids, and Windows phones always seems to have issues (battery life, connectivity, etc.) where my Q10 ends up being the go to phone for when those issues occur. Simply it just works and the year and a half I've had it, I've only needed to do reboot once. Put my vote in for BB for best stability.

Cheers,
Xyst