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Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

ns.nl

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Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#191

Post by Tabular-Iceberg »

sofixa wrote: post #184
Freak_NL wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is Europe. Credit card imprinters are rare if they were ever used at all. I've never seen one. The most resilient back up (especially in the face of national crises) is cash of course, but a growing group of people have stopped carrying any cash at all, and a lot of people in power are doing their best to make sure a cashless future is nearer each day. I don't mind paying with a debit card; I just want to have a…

Even for a cash payment the register still needs to work for the payment to be... well, registered as a sale. You need to get a receipt with tax paid, and all that.

That's easily done with a writing pad with carbon paper between each sheet. You write the items, prices and tax, rip off one sheet to give to the customer and another sheet for the books. I checked, these seem to still be sold at office supply places, so there is no excuse.

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#192

Post by drumhead »

xyst wrote: post #83
quartz wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the notice: > It affected the system that generates up-to-date schedules for trains and staff. ...boy oh boy did trying to look into what NS uses for crew scheduling ever send me down a rabbit hole. I don't know if the systems have changed but while poking around online I found this[1] doc about the Netherlands' timetable revamp around 2006 and it talks about the complexity of TURNI-- their on-the-fly crew sched…

I have seen “SAP” tossed around in this industry and still have no clue what they do to earn money. Are they the equivalence of “salesforce”?

The OG ERP

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#193

Post by mnumber »

reilly3000 wrote: post #125

I think it’s worth mentioning that while the IT system couldn’t coordinate the trains safely, it was a management decision to stop them from running. Coordination can happen myriad ways. For example, trains could operate according to their normal schedule, and if one needed to deviate they could radio in, and an operator could let downstream trains know to proceed accordingly. Maybe simple cell-phone GPS pings could…

Computers are great at ensuring your workforce cannot function without them. This is a small price to pay.

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#194

Post by sofixa »

lultimouomo wrote: post #158
quartz wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the notice: > It affected the system that generates up-to-date schedules for trains and staff. ...boy oh boy did trying to look into what NS uses for crew scheduling ever send me down a rabbit hole. I don't know if the systems have changed but while poking around online I found this[1] doc about the Netherlands' timetable revamp around 2006 and it talks about the complexity of TURNI-- their on-the-fly crew sched…

> sidenote: If anyone out there is an SAP specialist ns.nl looks like a pretty great place to work: 36hr week, 5 weeks vacation, pension, and free unlimited 2nd class + low cost 1st class train travel. And we can assume that a position in the IT department just opened up...

Blameless culture! Firing people for (one-off) mistakes or issues is much more a thing in the US than in most EU countries.

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#195

Post by Tenoke »

at-fates-hands wrote: post #168
pjmlp wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is an Isac Asimov book about this. A crew is stranded in space, because of a computer malfunction and no one on board remembers how they used to be programmed.

Is that "The Last Question"? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Question

Are you posting it reflexively because 9 out of 10 times Asimov is mentioned that's the story people talk about? Because that's definitely not the plot of it.

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#196

Post by devoutsalsa »

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #181
devoutsalsa wrote: post #179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had a professor in college teaching computer systems and design. Somehow he got to talking about the NSA. He said that back in the 60s, the NSA had computers that were running at 1000. “1000?” I asked, wondering if he’d forgotten the units. He replied “Yes, 1000.”

I've heard this joke before on HN.

I’ve told this once or twice before I think. True story.

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#197

Post by fwr »

j0e1 wrote: post #148

What jumps out at me after reading this notice is how it completely lacks any apology. I am not prescribing what it should say but merely observing that having lived in North America for sometime now, it seems hard for me to imagine for such a notice to not sound profusely apologetic here. Note: I do not consider words like 'unfortunately' and 'extremely unpleasant' apologetic. Also, I understand there are cultural d…

This is very consistent with customer service in The Netherlands - nothing is ever the fault of service providers, and you manage to convince them otherwise - you'll get nothing more than "unfortunately (...) not possible"

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#198

Post by sofixa »

bmitc wrote: post #115

More and more we are seeing "the computer says no" in our lives. We've replaced human activity and decision making with computerized versions, which are nothing more than the automation of stored human knowledge and routines.

A much more efficient automation.

For instance, running high speed rail without computer signalling would be a huge risk there's no sense in taking ( due to the speeds involved, by the time you see anything of issue like a train or damage in the tracks in front, it's too late to stop).

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#199

Post by akvadrako »

innocenat wrote: post #178
ncmncm wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, run fewer trains. Fewer is better than none.

I am not familiar with European train, but it seems that they did? > The international trains are not affected by this failure. > The night trains can still run.

That isn't useful for 99% of passengers. He obviously meant run a reasonable percentage of trains, like 25-50%.

Re: Due to failure in the IT system, it is not possible to run any trains today

#200

Post by botzi2001 »

Freak_NL wrote: post #175
Tabular-Iceberg wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m puzzled by the lack of resilience in retail sales. I thought “always be closing” was supposed to apply to all types of sales. A receipt pad and a credit card imprinter under the counter would be a very cheap backup. It would be slow, but at least they would be closing. It can even be considered a national security issue in the case of food, medicines and other vital services.

This is Europe. Credit card imprinters are rare if they were ever used at all. I've never seen one. The most resilient back up (especially in the face of national crises) is cash of course, but a growing group of people have stopped carrying any cash at all, and a lot of people in power are doing their best to make sure a cashless future is nearer each day. I don't mind paying with a debit card; I just want to have a…

My one and only chance to use a card imprinter was on a train from London to York. It was the first time that I realized why the embossing exist
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