Microsoft server crash nearly causes 800-plane pile-up & Windows for Warships

Found via Alec Muffett’s blog, Southern California’s air traffic control system failed due to a Microsoft Windows problem causing at least 5 near misses and leaving 800 planes airborne with no contact to ATC in mid-September.

Just to make you more depressed, read how the UK’s new Type-45 destroyers are being fitted with “Windows for Warships” (from the Risks Digest) – a chilling new turn for the blue screen of death if it goes wrong, which it has plenty of opportunity to according to the report.. There is another report on this over at the Register.