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OceanGate’s ill-fated Titan sub relied on a hand-typed Excel spreadsheet (www.theverge.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 93 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

I really do wonder why they ended up in this. It can' be that hard to make even a hacky DIY system to do it automatically. The navigation system just had to have some digital or even analog output, then it would be just the problem of interpreting the signal with some script and writing it into a file.

When Wilby recommended the company use standard software to process ping data and plot the sub’s telemetry automatically, the response was that the company wanted to develop an in-house system, but didn’t have enough time.

[–] [email protected] 102 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

To write a script, you need someone who can write scripts.
If all you have is someone who can write VLOOKUPs in Excel, and the CEO is too cheap to hire someone, then that's what you use.

[–] [email protected] 76 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So basically it's a project done by MBA geniuses, entrepreneurs and visionaries who optimized by cutting on those mundane and boring nautical engineers and software developers?

God, do I like how evolution works.

[–] [email protected] 108 points 3 weeks ago

[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 weeks ago

someone who can write VLOOKUPs

I think you're overestimating the competence on display here...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Sounds like they did the lookups by hand actually

[–] [email protected] 40 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I really do wonder why they ended up in this. It can’ be that hard to make even a hacky DIY system to do it automatically.

All-manager team, no devs?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That’s why they use, what they know: Excel. I wonder if the UI was done in PowerPoint?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago

Nah, FrontPage.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago

It's exactly like Fallout lol

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago

I like how the company didn't consider using standard software to do it, and then switch to the in-house system that they made later, instead of just having it done by hand instead.