Government Engineering, revisited (536 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.7 on 10 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <rurumon> (View user info) at 2004-08-25 16:54:03 EDT
Remember back in college when you worked on high-powered computers using advanced software to compute complicated mechanical systems?
Yeah, neither do I. Even though I went to a great college, its engineering program was mediocre at best. That's not implying that I actually did well, because I definitely spent more time working on high-powered beers using advanced drinking apparatus to compute complicated toilet praying methods. But I digress. Even though we worked on computers that were slightly outdated, our exposure to the wonderful world of technology was something that the faculty depended on in order to maintain the illusion of interest to its undergraduates. Lest we know the truth, then we would all save ourselves the time and transfer faster than it takes to whip out a graphing calculator.
After four years of this disillusionment and moderate exposure to silicon, controls, and neat little lights we got to blink, we thought that upon graduation our work would be filled with a cutting edge, matrix-like approach to solving our country's problem of how to kill non-Americans faster.
Oh how wrong we were. Imagine my surprise when I walked into my office and saw a computer I remembered dismantling with a claw hammer back when I was 8. The machine had two processors (which is good), though one didn't work. One side panel was missing and I believe it had a water wheel on the side to power an automated abacus I saw inside. And the software they use? FORTRAN. That right. A code used 20 years ago in the days of punch cards.
This is the state of government engineering. This is what our government uses to design our fighters, tanks, and cruise missiles. Kind of makes you wonder how the job ever gets done. I'll tell you how, because there are approximately 40 people in my division that are designing a dart. That's right, a dart. This dart is supposed to be used to knock out mines, and its taking 40 people working 8 hour days 50 weeks out of the year to design something a freshman college student can whip out of AUTOCAD in a couple hours with a few cases of Pabst.
And our funding to design said dart? Millions. Per year.
User Reviews
Submitted by NetProphet (user info) at 2004-08-25 20:42:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Yep, that's our government for you.
But it's people in jobs like those who surf Ubersite all day at work.
*grin*
Submitted by PersonMan (user info) at 2004-08-25 20:29:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yep. Good stuff.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/41288
Submitted by disAbled (user info) at 2004-08-25 19:04:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yeah, I had a government job about 5 years ago. Laughable the kind of equipment and software they provide for a big project with a *huge* budget.
Submitted by ParlorTrick (user info) at 2004-08-25 18:48:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"I believe it had a water wheel on the side to power an automated abacus..."
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2004-08-25 18:42:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Mechanical Engineers design weapons,
Civil Engineers design targets.
Need any help?
Submitted by Zandy1123 (user info) at 2004-08-25 17:32:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
+4 for the post
-2 for stupid defense spending
Submitted by RamJetMax (user info) at 2004-08-25 17:14:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Truth:
http://www.ubersite.com/m/36085
(More Apple IIe Memories)
Submitted by DamienX (user info) at 2004-08-25 16:59:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I think they're called 'lawn darts'.
Submitted by William_Q_Percy (user info) at 2004-08-25 16:57:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Word is bond.
Submitted by hidden101 (user info) at 2004-08-25 16:56:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
oh man, i miss my Apple. my dad threw it away while i was gone.... =(