I learned from Tank Girl never to underestimate those Roos. Kevin Graeme
> -----Original Message----- > From: Raymond Camden [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 9:13 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: FW: Careful Programming > > > Had to share... > > > > > The reuse of some object-oriented code has caused tactical > > headaches for Australia's armed forces. As virtual reality > > simulators assume larger roles in helicopter combat training, > > programmers have gone to great lengths to increase the > > realism of their scenarios, including detailed landscapes and, > > in the case of the Northern Territory's Operation Phoenix, > > herds of kangaroos (since disturbed animals might well give > > away a helicopter's position). > > > > The head of the Defense Science & Technology Organization's > > Land Operations/Simulation division reportedly instructed > > developers to model the local marsupials' movements and > > reactions to helicopters. > > > > Being efficient programmers, they just re-appropriated some > > code originally used to model infantry detachment reactions > > under the same stimuli, changed the mapped icon from a > > soldier to a kangaroo, and increased the figures' speed of > > movement. > > > > Eager to demonstrate their flying skills for some visiting > > American pilots, the hotshot Aussies "buzzed" the virtual > > kangaroos in low flight during a simulation. The kangaroos > > scattered, as predicted, and the visiting Americans nodded > > appreciatively... then did a double-take as the kangaroos > > reappeared from behind a hill and launched a barrage of > > Stinger missiles at the hapless helicopter. (Apparently the > > programmers had forgotten to remove that part of the > > infantry coding.) > > > > The lesson? Objects are defined with certain attributes, > > and any new object defined in terms of an old one inherits > > all the attributes. The embarrassed programmers had learned > > to be careful when reusing object-oriented code, and the > > Yanks left with a newfound respect for Australian wildlife. > > > > Simulator supervisors report that pilots from that point > > onward have strictly avoided kangaroos, just as they were > > meant to. > > > > From June 15, 2002 Defense Science and Technology Organization > > Lecture Series, Melbourne, Australia, and staff reports > > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ Get the mailserver that powers this list at http://www.coolfusion.com Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
