My New Favorite Error Message

[♥ COVID-19♥]

I remember years ago, there was a computer magazine -- I want to say it was PC Magazine, but I don't recall -- used to have a back page that was devoted to useless/funny/cryptic error messages.

While trying to troubleshoot a customer's problem today, I think I found one of those types of error messages in *our* software.

The customer sent me the log files for our console so I could parse the output to see what went wrong. In looking through the section for our reporting component, I found the following entry in our log file:

Wed 16 Sep 16:29:31 [WrapperStartStopAppMain] ERROR [CognosRunReportRequest:276] - Cognos Request Received Axis Fault
AxisFault
faultCode: Server
faultSubcode:
faultString: The server did something wrong

I'm sorry, "The server did something wrong"?

Any chance we could get even MORE ambiguous?

[innit Geezer]

I'm by no means a computer guy, but my first observation is that a piece of hardware or software has admitted failure and thus liability. If the failure occurs during a greeting card creation it's one thing and still aggravating, but what if the failure happens during the new and controversial high speed trading while handling millions?

[Chicago Jake]

A likely excuse; the software blaming the server! Did anyone bother asking the server for *its* side of the story?

[Irish Stu]

Sept 23, 2009 20:25:59 GMT -6 Chicago Jake said:

A likely excuse; the software blaming the server! Did anyone bother asking the server for *its* side of the story?

Let's set up a mediation session for the server and software to see if we can move away from a blame culture and establish interdepartmental quality chains to work as a team towards client focused solutions.

Simon

[Ardbeg... innit]

If its a faulty string, Im pretty sure that I have a spool of masonry twine in the basement. I can send you a piece if that would help (and yes it was the now defunct PC Magazine)

[♥ COVID-19♥]

Sept 23, 2009 20:25:59 GMT -6 Chicago Jake said:

A likely excuse; the software blaming the server! Did anyone bother asking the server for *its* side of the story?

My point exactly. We should not be in the business of making moral or ethical value judgements on someone's server.

[Ardbeg... innit]

If it was an Axis Fault, then we can blame the Nazis... with any luck Gary will jump in with video of the meeting of Hitler etal where this plot for this atrocity was hatched.

[Irish Stu]

Sept 24, 2009 8:29:07 GMT -6 ♥ COVID-19♥ said:

Sept 23, 2009 20:25:59 GMT -6 Chicago Jake said:

A likely excuse; the software blaming the server! Did anyone bother asking the server for *its* side of the story?

My point exactly. We should not be in the business of making moral or ethical value judgements on someone's server

I think they need to give each other a cyberhug.

Simon

[♥ COVID-19♥]

They would, but a firewall blocks that port.