Cool. And I know what you mean about the downtime. Probably the most mission critical app I have worked on was an inventory control system for grocery warehouses. (Even the biggest ones -- the Safeways, the Ralphs, et al -- were nowhere near 5.7 million square feet. That intrigues me). Nothing could be moved without the software being informed. Order pickers couldn't pick orders, letdown operators (forklift drivers) couldn't do letdowns, and so on and so on. System down, warehouse down. At one client the VP of Distribution would invariably send a memo to the CEO, cc the world, spelling out in dollars and cents how much the latest computer downtime had cost.

He never sent memos saying how much the software saved them in productivity, of course <s>. But he knew. Somewhere in my files from that particular past life is a very nice letter from him thanking me for my contributions to the company's success. He was not an easy guy to please so that meant something to me.

The snow is finally tapering off. I should probably grab a shovel.


>I am called a "Staff Specialist", or a software developer to the outside world. Our plant is 5.7 million square feet and our department is responsible for creating, maintaining and modification of software to control plant manufacturing, including robotics, and other applications related to quality control and suppliers.
>
>One minute of down time costs the company $36,000. When the line stops we get invaded! :)
>
>>What do you do, anyway? I figured you worked at a think tank or something.
>>
>>
>>>The production line starts at 6 AM and we cannot leave those cars and trucks alone to take care of themselves.
>>>
>>>Our motto: "As long as the production line is running, there are no problems"! :)
>>>
>>>
>>>>>I have to get up at 4 AM to go to work.
>>>>
>>>>Why so early? I get up at 6am for work. With my daughter so young it is the same time on weekends.