There are stories in technology that deserve to be told because, in some cases, what was considered a ‘mistake’ ended up being the best idea. This is what happened to the protagonist of this story, which takes place in the 1990s when he provided network and software support for a manufacturer of specialized vehicles. The worker’s mistake ended up making the work more efficient because it was completed in less time, with less margin for error, and even allowed time to verify the results. “My mistake, if you can call it that, was a blessing in disguise for the company and for our small IT team,” the worker concluded.
The mistake meant that whoever was handling nighttime logins could check if the job was working and rerun it if necessary
The worker was on the night shift when the system crashed and he couldn’t access the processing queue he’d been assigned. Faced with this problem, the worker decided to use an empty queue, knowing it wasn’t the correct resource. As a result, the job finished half a second later. The mistake meant that whoever was handling nighttime logins could check if the job was working and rerun it if necessary.
The worker assumed that the sudden completion of the work indicated an error
This was a technological error that ultimately led to an even better solution for work efficiency. Now, the night shift even had time to verify the work output and close files so that backup systems could function overnight. To put it simply, the worker thought that because the work finished so quickly, something had gone wrong. The purpose of this nightly login schedule was to run workloads until the early hours of the morning, when no one else was present. Therefore, the worker assumed that the sudden completion of the work indicated an error and called his supervisor to report it and ask how to restart it. The speed of the work execution was what most caught the attention of the worker and his supervisors. But far from being a mistake, it turned out to be the perfect solution.
This event highlighted the enormous global dependence on a few technology providers
With the arrival of technology came technological failures. This 1990 case was an error that ultimately led to a technological advancement, while other errors have exposed major system flaws. On July 19, 2024, the world witnessed the biggest computer crash in modern history. What began as a simple security update ended up paralyzing businesses, airports, hospitals, and essential services across the globe. This event highlighted the enormous global dependence on a few technology providers, as well as the fragility of digital infrastructures when robust contingency plans are lacking.
In just hours, airlines canceled thousands of flights, supermarkets ceased operations, hospitals had to switch to manual mode…
One of the most alarming aspects of this case was the speed with which the problem spread. Its magnitude was such that some estimates indicate economic losses between $5 billion and $24 billion. The problem originated from a faulty update to the CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor security software, widely used in Windows operating systems. In just hours, airlines canceled thousands of flights, supermarkets ceased operations, hospitals had to switch to manual mode, and banking and telecommunications giants were affected. This situation is somewhat reminiscent of the blackout that struck Spain in April of this year.
This error we’re discussing caused millions of computers to display the dreaded ‘blue screen of death,’ rendering both personal and corporate equipment unusable. It was a blackout that not only revealed the weakness of the systems but also humanity’s current widespread dependence on technology. This is evident in everyday life, but experiences like this one intensify it considerably.