RISKS-LIST: Risks-Forum Digest  Thursday 27 March 1997  Volume 18 : Issue 94

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The technical problems of shipboard systems are fairly straightforward: you are dealing with mission-critical systems which are subject to heat, humidity, occasional quantities of salt water, inept workers and various permutations thereof (let me tell you about the one where a high-speed fish filleting line's automation system had the control door left open during the daily cleaning, and was subjected to 60PSI salt water). These sort of problems can be engineered around with backup systems, industrial-grade computers, and hosing down inept helpmeat with 60PSI salt water.

Jeremy Anderson