Help with School Project?

[tracey__]

I need to write a report on an unsucessful IT project, however I can't seem to think of anything to write about. There's plenty of successful projects I can think of; for example, Windows XP was very successful.

I considered doing the 1982 games console, Atari 5200, but the only major aspect of the consoles failure was the controller - I don't think I could write enough about this.

Any suggestions would be great,
Thanks,
Tracey.

Note: Possibly suggest some failed games consoles?
Thanks.

[mips]

Do a search for SAP failure

[s.fox]

National Health Service system failure (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1542486/andpound20bn-NHS-computer-system-%27doomed-to-fail%27.html)

[TwiceOver]

Do a search for SAP failure

In particular you could look up Levi's Jeans Corp. switch to SAP. Wow that was a disaster.

[james.paige]

Windows ME

[tracey__]

Windows ME

Teacher disagrees with Windows ME; she said it was successful to an extent :neutral:

[kavon89]

Teacher disagrees with Windows ME; she said it was successful to an extent :neutral:

lmao

[drascus]

what about Windows Vista that one was a big flop.

[mips]

In particular you could look up Levi's Jeans Corp. switch to SAP. Wow that was a disaster.

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/picard-facepalm.jpg

Yeah, the Levi's one was bad. The trail of SAP failures are really epic though.

[Grant A.]

Duke Nukem Forever

[tracey__]

what about Windows Vista that one was a big flop.
Couldn't agree more. If I can't do ME, I won't be able to do Vista :/

[Grant A.]

Couldn't agree more. If I can't do ME, I won't be able to do Vista :/

You could look up Microsoft Bob, as Microsoft actually admitted that one was a mistake.

[tracey__]

You could look up Microsoft Bob, as Microsoft actually admitted that one was a mistake.

I was actually considering Microsoft Bob; I don't really have an idea where I can find the information I need from. Can't really trust Wiki, can we?

[Mehall]

Duke Nukem Forever

Doesn't count, we only have empty promises, not an actual failure.

yet.

[Grant A.]

I was actually considering Microsoft Bob; I don't really have an idea where I can find the information I need from. Can't really trust Wiki, can we?

Actually, Wikipedia is kept safe from false information by Wikipedia Administrators, and it is even required there to have sources in a Wiki article. So don't worry about bad factual information, as administrators and vigilantes wipe it up very quickly. The "everything is wrong" thing is just a thing blown into over proportion by the media.

[Mehall]

You could look up Microsoft Bob, as Microsoft actually admitted that one was a mistake.

Bob wasn't a failure for one reason and one reason only:

It was one of Microsoft's few attempts at piracy prevention that worked. Wanna know how? (and no, it's not because nobody bought Bob.)


Well now, there was a bunch of space at the end of the CD for XP, so they decided to fill the disk with space, and make it that XP checks for this data when it tries to install. Data not there? XP won't install.

Instead of just using random data, or all 0's or 1's (because all 0's or 1's would be easily transmitted, defeating the purpose of making people download an extra 20MB or whatever it was, back when we all had slow internet)

No, instead the guy responsible got the Bob floppies, chose to encrypt them (to randomise the data further) and mashed his hands across the keyboard for the encryption key.

technically Bob was one of M$'s best selling Operating System's ;)

[Grant A.]

Bob wasn't a failure for one reason and one reason only:

It was one of Microsoft's few attempts at piracy prevention that worked. Wanna know how? (and no, it's not because nobody bought Bob.)


Well now, there was a bunch of space at the end of the CD for XP, so they decided to fill the disk with space, and make it that XP checks for this data when it tries to install. Data not there? XP won't install.

Instead of just using random data, or all 0's or 1's (because all 0's or 1's would be easily transmitted, defeating the purpose of making people download an extra 20MB or whatever it was, back when we all had slow internet)

No, instead the guy responsible got the Bob floppies, chose to encrypt them (to randomise the data further) and mashed his hands across the keyboard for the encryption key.

technically Bob was one of M$'s best selling Operating System's ;)

Microsoft Bob was a Windows Shell (Window Manager) replacement for Windows 9.x. It had nothing to do with XP, and was not a stand alone operating system.

[Mehall]

Microsoft Bob was a Windows Shell (Window Manager) replacement for Windows 9.x. It had nothing to do with XP, and was not a stand alone operating system.



Woops, my bad, I forget what exactly it did/

But the rest of what I said is correct, they DID use it, encrypted albeit, as a form of copy prevention by making people DL a full disk, rather than saving smoething like 20 or 50MB or something, which was major at the time

[Sorivenul]

The FBI's Virtual Case File comes to mind, an approximately $170,000,000 USD project that was scrapped.

Google Video uploads are also being halted (promoting YouTube and Picasa Web). Google Notebook, Dodgeball (social networking site), and Mashup Editor are also being halted and/or traded. Not too many people focus on the efforts that "fail" at Google.

There are plenty more. Just look around. Good luck!

[tracey__]

Thanks for the suggestions; the FBI one sounds quite interesting.

[Mehall]

The FBI's Virtual Case File comes to mind, an approximately $170,000,000 USD project that was scrapped.

Google Video uploads are also being halted (promoting YouTube and Picasa Web). Google Notebook, Dodgeball (social networking site), and Mashup Editor are also being halted and/or traded. Not too many people focus on the efforts that "fail" at Google.

There are plenty more. Just look around. Good luck!


Google Video is being halted because they BOUGHT youtube. Thats not a fail, that's a replacement.

Notebook? Replaced by (oh dear...) Google Apps (the Word Proc only has, like, 10 fonts!!!) (but it's there)

Dodgeball will be replaced by something else, Google just weren't happy with it as it was, same I predict for "Knol"

[Sorivenul]

Thats not a fail, that's a replacement.
They wouldn't be replacing them if the replacements weren't "improvements" over their originally developed apps. In that sense, those being replaced failed. It's like when an employer fires a slacking employee and replaces the slacker with a devoted worker who gets the job done more efficiently and with better quality.

[tracey__]

Thanks for the replies so far.

[earthpigg]

directx 10 'requiring' windows vista.

[RiceMonster]

Do a search for SAP failure

Yeah, this is a really good idea. Maybe you could do other ERP systems, but I'd say SAP would be the best choice.

[Mehall]

They wouldn't be replacing them if the replacements weren't "improvements" over their originally developed apps. In that sense, those being replaced failed. It's like when an employer fires a slacking employee and replaces the slacker with a devoted worker who gets the job done more efficiently and with better quality.

Well no, Google Video wouldn't have been replaced if not for it being a duplicate service. If youtube hadn't wanted to be bought, and google stepped in, then Google Video would still be running.

I see your analogy, but it's not quite accurate

[gn2]

You could do some investigating and reporting on FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) fitted to the RAF's Chinook helicopter.

Here's a starting point (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmpubacc/975/0030825.htm).

[mips]

You could do some investigating and reporting on FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) fitted to the RAF's Chinook helicopter.

Here's a starting point (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmpubacc/975/0030825.htm).

A bit of background on what a FADEC actually does, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FADEC

[tracey__]

Thanks for all the replies. Are anyone aware of any game consoles that majorily failed? All I can think of is the Atari 5200, and that was only the controller to blame really.

[gn2]

Thanks for all the replies. Are anyone aware of any game consoles that majorily failed? All I can think of is the Atari 5200, and that was only the controller to blame really.

The one that instantly springs to mind is the Xbox 360 and it's astronomically high failure rate.

[jflaker]

Teacher disagrees with Windows ME; she said it was successful to an extent :neutral:

Windows Vista! How businesses refused to switch and forced MS's hand to extend XP support til 2014 from an original end of life of 2009.

[scratman]

but you'll probably enjoy watching it anyway :-)

http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/play-value/down-the-memory-hole

http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/play-value/down-the-memory-hole

My favourite one was the Virtual Boy!

Oh, and gn" has great taste in music, ah, Seamus!

[smartboyathome]

but you'll probably enjoy watching it anyway :-)

http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/play-value/down-the-memory-hole

http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/play-value/down-the-memory-hole

My favourite one was the Virtual Boy!

Oh, and gn" has great taste in music, ah, Seamus!

Woah, thanks for posting that. I realised my family actually has (had?) an Intellivision. It probably got lost in the garage somewhere, but I remember one night we found it, and hooked it up to an old TV and played it. It was neat. :D

[scratman]

Woah, thanks for posting that. I realised my family actually has (had?) an Intellivision. It probably got lost in the garage somewhere, but I remember one night we found it, and hooked it up to an old TV and played it. It was neat. :D

You're welcome. When you hand it in, would you let me know what grade I got?

[fenian]

The Apple III (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_III) was a huge failure.

[smartboyathome]

You're welcome. When you hand it in, would you let me know what grade I got?

I'm not the OP, just thought I'd thank you for that post since there isn't the thanks button anymore. ;)

[mips]

The one that instantly springs to mind is the Xbox 360 and it's astronomically high failure rate.


I would not call that a failure seeing they are still being sold in droves.