• Jimmy (unregistered)

    Last picture??

    Is that a WTF but WTF itself? The header line should be replaced it think or? I don't really know what to think...

  • Rehevkor (unregistered)

    This is kinda funny: a screenshot in the article showing a menu called "VD Mgmt" and an ad for Viagra at the bottom of the page.

  • Lynx (unregistered)

    I'm sure some of you know this, but ATMs do have keyboards in that stack of machinery in there, so it is possible for a maintenance staff to log on.

    < sarcasm > Of course, how a normal user is supposed to do that is obviously beyond me. Maybe swipe the cards many many times? Or some magic combination of numbers? < /sarcasm >

    Since it's a closed system, I suppose running Windows-based systems shouldn't be a WTF. It is a bit troubling to think that someone who broke into an ATM might be able to get onto the network through some vulnerability, but then again, the perp is probably going to be a wee bit distracted by the wads of cash in the said broken-into ATM.

  • (cs)

    WRT the cash machine with the Windows log-in...

    Couple of years ago I used an Alliance and Leicester machine in Cardiff, half way through getting my dosh it freaked out and rebooted. But not to Windows, but ... wait for it ...

    OS-2 Warp! (or whatever it was called)

    And it ate my card as well.

  • (cs)

    The Apple iPhone display - Amusing yes, a tad ironic perhaps, but having worked a bit in digital signage, this isn't rare.

    The Apple marketing folks put out a bid for "stainless steel iPhone display w/ integrated presentation unit", gave some dimensions and voila. The choice of the display screen system is usually up to the signage vendor, and well, Windows is easy (yes, embedded Linux would be "cool" but few signage and display booth shops have uber-1337 IT hax0rz on staff)

  • (cs)

    ' is a valid entity in XML but not HTML.

  • (cs) in reply to StrideColossus
    StrideColossus:
    half way through getting my dosh it freaked out and rebooted. But not to Windows, but ... wait for it ... OS-2 Warp! (or whatever it was called)

    And it ate my card as well.

    Not surprising. OS/2 was widely used (and is still used) for lots of ATMs. All of the CIBC ATMs AKAIK here in Toronto are still OS/2.

  • (cs) in reply to Derrick Pallas

    ' is not valid HTML, but is valid XHTML (which is a subset of XML, whereas HTML is a subset of SGML).

  • Frost (unregistered)

    In Apple stores, you'll see the sales people using little handheld devices. They're running Windows Mobile.

    Captcha: tesla. Like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1O2jcfOylU

  • Alex G. (unregistered) in reply to tezoatlipoca
    tezoatlipoca:
    (yes, embedded Linux would be "cool" but few signage and display booth shops have uber-1337 IT hax0rz on staff)
    Actually... to be quite honest, most if not all of the embedded boxes running videos in restaurants and such are actually old P200-esque machines running a Linux livecd with xine. Seriously. Tim Hortons for one uses those.
  • Ruben (unregistered)

    (Comment to be added here, don't forget to write)

  • (cs) in reply to Jimmy

    I've seen scrolling LED tickers on bus stops here in London more than once, that instead of having the time of the next bus on, are just looping through their whole character set and printing it char by char:

    ... +,-./01234567890:; ...

    Andrew.

  • Mike Dimmick (unregistered) in reply to Lynx

    They should be running Windows XP Embedded, not Professional. Embedded is cheaper, you can autologin on booting, and activation is suppressed. Most likely the version of XP Professional in use on the ATM is unlicensed.

  • AdT (unregistered) in reply to Jimmy
    Jimmy:
    Last picture??

    Is that a WTF but WTF itself? The header line should be replaced it think or? I don't really know what to think...

    (before reading worsethanfailure.com, remember turning on irony detector)

    I don't get it either because I was too lazy to read the text in the picture, too.

  • AdT (unregistered) in reply to Mike Dimmick
    Mike Dimmick:
    you can autologin on booting

    You mean like this?

    Mike Dimmick:
    Most likely the version of XP Professional in use on the ATM is unlicensed.

    Most likely that is not a well-founded accusation.

  • Anonymous Pedant (unregistered)

    I've seen news tickers (like at the bottom of the screen on CNN) that had ">From" in them, clearly showing the story was emailed (badly).

  • (cs)

    Well at least somone took note about the last sentence, but i guess they ran all out of backspaces and had plenty of other letters so you guy this nifty message.

  • (cs) in reply to AdT
    AdT:
    Jimmy:
    Last picture??

    Is that a WTF but WTF itself? The header line should be replaced it think or? I don't really know what to think...

    (before reading worsethanfailure.com, remember turning on irony detector)

    I don't get it either because I was too lazy to read the text in the picture, too.

    I dont get why people repeatedly post about not getting the joke when they really do. I don't get it so much that I find it funny every time.

  • OldPeter (unregistered)

    The iPod thingie reminds me of the days when IBM had big promotion walls for OS/2 on fairs, with several monitors running demos inserted in that wall. When looking closer, you could see the typical mouse arrow of the presentation software SCALA which at those days only ran on Commodore Amigas. And yes, when looking behind the wall, there were a couple Amigas running the IBM OS/2 demos. Just great.

  • mummey (unregistered)

    Just pointing out: That iPhone display is at an AT&T store, not an Apple store.

  • Dazed (unregistered) in reply to operon
    operon:
    I've seen scrolling LED tickers on bus stops here in London more than once, that instead of having the time of the next bus on, are just looping through their whole character set and printing it char by char

    A similar display near me has been showing something like "final test version 06.01" for about the last three months.

  • (cs) in reply to Lynx
    Lynx:
    I'm sure some of you know this, but ATMs do have keyboards in that stack of machinery in there, so it is possible for a maintenance staff to log on.

    < sarcasm > Of course, how a normal user is supposed to do that is obviously beyond me. Maybe swipe the cards many many times? Or some magic combination of numbers? < /sarcasm >

    Since it's a closed system, I suppose running Windows-based systems shouldn't be a WTF. It is a bit troubling to think that someone who broke into an ATM might be able to get onto the network through some vulnerability, but then again, the perp is probably going to be a wee bit distracted by the wads of cash in the said broken-into ATM.

    No no no! You simply need to enter the 60 character license key, conveniently on a post-it on the inside of the lobby door. Then it will boot, self configure and auto-exec the atm-applet

  • spinben (unregistered) in reply to StrideColossus
    StrideColossus:
    WRT the cash machine with the Windows log-in...

    Couple of years ago I used an Alliance and Leicester machine in Cardiff, half way through getting my dosh it freaked out and rebooted. But not to Windows, but ... wait for it ...

    OS-2 Warp! (or whatever it was called)

    And it ate my card as well.

    For years OS/2 (Warp was a version name) was the only OS secure enough for ATMs. It was only abandoned when IBM announced the EOL for OS/2. I will resist the tempatation to bash Windows here.

    Ben

  • spinben (unregistered)

    I love the last pic (and the caption). (Remember to write something witty here before I click Submit.)

  • EVO (unregistered)

    Hmmm how come I'd already seen this on friday. In fact, I'd already replied at friday. I don't get it :P

  • (cs) in reply to EVO
    EVO:
    Hmmm how come I'd already seen this on friday. In fact, I'd already replied at friday. I don't get it :P

    Yeah, "the real WTF" is that this article showed up in RSS feed several days ago. It kept redirecting to the Articles page, though, and disappeared soon.

  • (cs) in reply to EVO
    EVO:
    Hmmm how come I'd already seen this on friday. In fact, I'd already replied at friday. I don't get it :P

    Ok so I'm not the only one... First I thought WTF posted it twice, then when I checked and it wasn't further down in the article feed I thought I was either going crazy or I was a 1337 psychic...

  • sf (unregistered) in reply to Derrick Pallas
    Derrick Pallas:
    ' is a valid entity in XML but not HTML.
    The system's probably pulling it's text from an XML config file, don't you thing?
  • horbs (unregistered)

    (before publishing, come up with a sentence or two about this picture from Hank) haha

  • (cs)

    The standard on bank machines is for the left side panel's first and fourth buttons, plus the right side panel's 3rd button (counting top to bottom) to trigger a restart if the atm application level is not booted.

    Just so you know what to do the next time you run into this.

  • The Broken Record (unregistered) in reply to mummey
    mummey:
    Just pointing out: That iPhone display is at an AT&T store, not an Apple store.

    These displays also appear standing at Apple stores, even if this particular one was not.

  • Matthew (unregistered) in reply to Mike Dimmick
    Mike Dimmick:
    They should be running Windows XP Embedded, not Professional. Embedded is cheaper, you can autologin on booting, and activation is suppressed. Most likely the version of XP Professional in use on the ATM is unlicensed.

    Not to mention unpatched! Yay!

  • EVO (unregistered)

    Wow, now they deleted my Friday's post. Talking about deleting evidence. Who wants to bet They delete this before even you can read this?

  • stinky (unregistered) in reply to joe.edwards
    ' is not valid HTML, but is valid XHTML (which is a subset of XML, whereas HTML is a subset of SGML).
    I was under the impression that XML was a subset of SGML?
  • (cs) in reply to EVO
    EVO:
    Wow, now they deleted my Friday's post. Talking about deleting evidence. Who wants to bet They delete this before even *you* can read this?

    THERE IS NO CABAL. And now your post is preserved by mine. Well, if it won't be deleted, too. Ahoy, anyone! Protect our posts before it's too late!

  • Bryan Price (unregistered)

    The last picture is a real WTF. Although I actually understand the parenthetical remark. It starts off talking about virtual disks, and then references something about physical disks at the end. WTF.

    The parenthetical just points it out.

    (Did I answer all my parentheticals?)

  • Have a blast (unregistered) in reply to Lynx
    Lynx:
    Since it's a closed system, I suppose running Windows-based systems shouldn't be a WTF.
    Right, how else would we get news reports of ATMs being infected by Windows viruses.
  • (cs) in reply to sf
    sf:
    The system's probably pulling it's text from an XML config file, don't you thing?
    See, I actually read the article:
    The scrolling marquee in the lobby had news headlines... with lots of bonus HTML-encoded characters still in it.
  • (cs) in reply to OldPeter
    OldPeter:
    The iPod thingie reminds me of the days when IBM had big promotion walls for OS/2 on fairs, with several monitors running demos inserted in that wall. When looking closer, you could see the typical mouse arrow of the presentation software SCALA which at those days only ran on Commodore Amigas.

    Terrible - and to make it so obvious! Embarrassing.

  • (cs) in reply to sf
    sf:
    The system's probably pulling it's text from an XML config file, don't you thing?
    I can't decide whether an ' where there shouldn't even be an apostrophe ruins or enhances the effect.
  • (cs) in reply to tezoatlipoca

    HSBC Bank in the UK use OS/2 for all their desktop terminals. Went to see my bank manager and she had a brand-new computer with a 15-year-old OS...

  • Maarten (unregistered) in reply to spinben
    spinben:
    StrideColossus:
    WRT the cash machine with the Windows log-in...

    Couple of years ago I used an Alliance and Leicester machine in Cardiff, half way through getting my dosh it freaked out and rebooted. But not to Windows, but ... wait for it ...

    OS-2 Warp! (or whatever it was called)

    And it ate my card as well.

    For years OS/2 (Warp was a version name) was the only OS secure enough for ATMs. It was only abandoned when IBM announced the EOL for OS/2. I will resist the tempatation to bash Windows here.

    Ben

    OS/2 4.52 was released in 1999. OS/2 was actually supported and updated by IBM until 2006. Outside of IBM, it is sold by Serenity systems, who still do updates and maybe even a new version.

  • Maarten (unregistered) in reply to Raggles
    Raggles:
    HSBC Bank in the UK use OS/2 for all their desktop terminals. Went to see my bank manager and she had a brand-new computer with a 15-year-old OS...

    8 years, if they use the latest version.

  • Maarten (unregistered) in reply to Raggles
    Raggles:
    HSBC Bank in the UK use OS/2 for all their desktop terminals. Went to see my bank manager and she had a brand-new computer with a 15-year-old OS...

    8 years, if they use the latest version.

  • tsrtg (unregistered)

    If you think OS/2 is dead, think twice.

    The current version of what was earlier known as OS/2 was released in November 2005 under the name 'eComStation 1.2R'. The next version is under development, RC2 was released in August 2007.

  • Tf (unregistered) in reply to Lynx
    Lynx:
    ...It is a bit troubling to think that someone who broke into an ATM might be able to get onto the network through some vulnerability, but then again, the perp is probably going to be a wee bit distracted by the wads of cash in the said broken-into ATM.

    Security by distraction using the wads of cash method, I love it!

  • (cs) in reply to Lynx
    Lynx:
    It is a bit troubling to think that someone who broke into an ATM might be able to get onto the network through some vulnerability, but then again, the perp is probably going to be a wee bit distracted by the wads of cash in the said broken-into ATM.

    Just to inject a bit of reality here, all the ATMs I worked on while employed at Diebold had the cash dispenser inside a safe, while all the computer stuff was mounted in a rack above the safe. So, you might be able to get into the ATM's computer, but still be far removed from getting your hands on the cash.

    Hrmmm... is trying to inject reality into this forum a WTF?

  • IMSoP (unregistered)

    Is it me, or did Ian Ware actually have a lucky escape - to my untrained eyes, that cash machine looks suspiciously like it's been fitted by ne'er-do-wells with a card skimming device (and WTF's that small silver doorknob-like thing doing there, for that matter?)

    Maybe somebody crashed the software as a public service!

  • (cs) in reply to operon
    operon:
    I've seen scrolling LED tickers on bus stops here in London more than once, that instead of having the time of the next bus on, are just looping through their whole character set and printing it char by char:

    ... +,-./01234567890:; ...

    Andrew.

    Yes, the funny thing is that is usually more meaningful than the actual timetable.

  • s. (unregistered) in reply to operon
    operon:
    I've seen scrolling LED tickers on bus stops here in London more than once, that instead of having the time of the next bus on, are just looping through their whole character set and printing it char by char:

    ... +,-./01234567890:; ...

    Andrew.

    Recently the ticker in a tram in Cracow kept displaying its firmware version (with release number and date).

Leave a comment on “Taking It Outside ”

Log In or post as a guest

Replying to comment #:

Log Out

« Return to Article