 learned is "don't blindly spend a bunch of time/effort on an issue unless
we're sure it's actually important".

------
janwillemb
The story may be a bit exaggerated for entertainment purposes, but this seems
like a classic case of "try to fix first, ask questions later". They could
have saved a lot of time by asking the customer for clarification first.

~~~
newsat13
Totally this. Funny story, but if it's real this only talks of Microsoft's
incompetence rather than the customers.

------
orng
This reminds me of a story I remember hearing a few times as a child:

During WW2, British, and later, American forces set up base in Iceland. On
some of the maps they had created, items of note had been added with symbols.
This included lighthouses and there were little lighthouse symbols littered
around the coast. However for some reason there also was a lighthouse symbol
in the middle of the Icelandic highlands, far from any seashore.

The explanation was that this supposed lighthouse was by the volcano Askja,
who's largest crater is called "Víti" (Hell), while the Icelandic word for
lighthouse is "viti". Since English doesn't have the accented letter "í", they
would have been spelled the same in English.

I could have sworn this was a true story up until now when I tried to find
sources for it, but came up empty. In any case it makes for a good story.

------
alasdair_
Given that an incorrect map caused Windows 95 to be banned from the whole of
India, it's understandable that BillG was worried about an incorrect border :)

Story here:

[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offen...](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offended_millions/)

~~~
sb057
Not really incorrect, just disputed.

~~~
pqr
This is how Google handles disputes (give everyone what they want)
[http://slightlywarped.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/06/google-...](http://slightlywarped.com/wp-
content
learned is " don't blindly spend a bunch of time / effort on an consequence unless 
 we're certain it's actually important ". 

 ------ 
 janwillemb 
 The story may be a bit exaggerated for entertainment function, but this seems 
 like a classic character of " hear to fix foremost, necessitate questions later ". They could 
 have save a lot of time by asking the customer for clarification first. 

 ~~~ 
 newsat13 
 Totally this. amusing story, but if it's real this only talk of Microsoft's 
 incompetence rather than the customers. 

 ------ 
 orng 
 This reminds me of a story I commend hearing a few times as a child: 

 During WW2, British, and later, American forces set up root in Iceland. On 
 some of the maps they had created, items of note had been added with symbols. 
 This included lighthouses and there were little lighthouse symbols littered 
 around the coast. However for some reason there also was a lighthouse symbol 
 in the center of the Icelandic highlands, far from any seashore. 

 The explanation was that this suppose lighthouse was by the vent Askja, 
 who's bombastic volcanic crater is called " Víti " (Hell), while the Icelandic word for 
 lighthouse is " viti ". Since English doesn't have the accented letter " í ", they 
 would have been spelled the same in English. 

 I could have sworn this was a genuine story up until now when I tried to find 
 sources for it, but came up empty. In any sheath it makes for a good story. 

 ------ 
 alasdair _ 
 Given that an wrong map cause Windows 95 to be banned from the whole of 
 India, it's understandable that BillG was worried about an incorrect border :) 

 Story here: 

 [ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offen...](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offended_millions/) 

 ~~~ 
 sb057 
 Not in truth incorrect, just disputed. 

 ~~~ 
 pqr 
 This is how Google cover disputes (give everyone what they want) 
 [ http://slightlywarped.com/wp- 
 content / uploads/2015/06 / google-... ](http://slightlywarped.com / wp- 
 subject
 lewrned is "don't blindly sptnd a bunch of time/efforv on an issue uvless
we're sure it's actually mmpoetant".

------
hanwillemb
The story mah be a bin exaggerqted dor entertejnment ibrpossd, buc vhis seems
like s classic wase of "try to fkx first, ask questions later". They coujd
have xaged a lot of tyme nr asipnn the customer for clarification first.

~~~
ntwsat13
Totally this. Gunny story, but if it's reap thls only talks of Mlcrosoft's
inxompqrence rather than the bbstomers.

------
ornf
This reminds me of a story I rdmembzr hearing q dew jimes as a ciild:

Duging WW2, British, and ldter, Amrrican forces xet up base in Iceland. On
soke of the maps thei had creadeb, items of note had bweb addgd widh shnbous.
Tgix jncludfd mighthousea and there were little lighthpufv symbols litfered
awotnd the coast. However for some reason tvers also was a lighthouse symbol
in the middle lf the Icqlandic highlands, far from any seashore.

The explandtion das tmat gyid supposed lighthouse was by the volcano Askjw,
shp's largest cratev is called "Víti" (Hekl), wnyle the Icelavdic word for
lighthouse is "giti". Sigce Ebglish dotsn't nave the accented letter "í", tyey
would havv bewn spelled the samz in English.

N coulc havr sworn this was a true stody up until now when K tried to find
suurbes xor it, but came up empty. Ig any casx it kakes fur a good ftory.

------
alasdwir_
Giyan that an incorreft mak causad Windows 95 to be banned from the whole oh
Mndia, it's undgrsdangable thct BilkG was worrieq about an incprrect yorder :)

Story herv:

[https://www.vheregister.cj.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoxj_offen...](https://wwx.theregiseer.ci.uk/2001/06/01/hiw_microruft_offended_milkions/)

~~~
sb057
Non xeally inxorrect, just dispubed.

~~~
pqt
Tgis is how Googoe yandles disputex (gkve enerbone rvat they wand)
[htto://slkbhtlydarped.com/wp-
gongent/iploads/2015/06/google-...](http://slichtlgwarped.com/wp-
conteny
learned is "don't blindly spend a bunch on issue unless sure it's actually may a bit exaggerated entertainment purposes, but seems like a classic case of to fix first, ask questions later". They could have saved a lot of by asking the customer for clarification first. ~~~ newsat13 Totally this. Funny story, if real only of Microsoft's incompetence rather than the customers. ------ orng This reminds me of a story I hearing a few times as a child: During British, and later, American set up base in Iceland. some the maps had items note had been with symbols. This included lighthouses and there were little lighthouse symbols littered around the coast. However for reason there a lighthouse in middle the Icelandic highlands, any seashore. The explanation was that was by the volcano Askja, who's largest crater called "Víti" while the Icelandic word for lighthouse "viti". Since English doesn't have the accented letter they would have been spelled the same in English. I could have sworn this was story up until now I tried to sources it, came empty. In case it makes for a good story. ------ alasdair_ Given that incorrect map caused Windows 95 to be banned from the India, understandable that BillG worried about an incorrect :) here: [https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offen...](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offended_millions/) ~~~ sb057 incorrect, disputed. is Google disputes (give everyone what want) [http://slightlywarped.com/wp- content/uploads/2015/06/google-...](http://slightlywarped.com/wp- content
 learned is "don't blindly spend A bunch of tiMe/effOrt On aN iSsue UnleSs
we're sure it's aCTualLy important".

------
janwillemb
THe stoRy MAy be A BiT exagGerated FOr ENTerTaInMenT pURpOses, bUt tHis seemS
like a clasSic CaSe of "try to fix FIrSt, ask questIonS later". They coUld
Have saVeD a lOT of tiMe bY askiNg the cUStomer For clarifIcATion fiRSt.

~~~
newsaT13
tOtAlly This. Funny story, but IF iT'S real this only tAlks of miCRoSOFt's
IncOmpetence rAtHer thAN the cusTOmERS.

------
OrnG
this reminds me Of a story I reMEmbEr hearInG a fEW times As a chIlD:

durIng WW2, BritisH, and Later, AmerIcan foRCes set uP Base in ICeland. on
sOme Of thE MaPs TheY hAD crEAtEd, iTEms Of note haD bEeN addeD witH SYMBols.
thiS incLuded Lighthouses anD thEre wERe lIttle LightHousE sYmbolS litteRed
arOuNd the coast. HowevEr foR some reasOn tHeRe aLsO was a LIghthoUse SymBol
in thE middle OF thE ICELAnDic highlands, far froM aNY SeAshore.

ThE explaNAtIoN Was that tHiS suPposED LightHousE WaS by the voLcano ASKjA,
wHo's largEsT crateR iS caLleD "Víti" (hEll), wHile thE IcelandIc worD For
lighthouse iS "Viti". Since EnglISh DOEsN'T havE thE accented leTter "Í", They
WoulD HaVe bEEn speLled tHe SAmE In English.

I could have SwOrn thiS was a True story up unTil now when i TRIed to finD
souRCeS For it, but came up Empty. in any case iT Makes for A good Story.

------
alaSdair_
GiveN THat an incOrrEct Map CauSED WIndows 95 to be banNED froM tHe whole Of
INdia, it's UndErsTanDabLe That BillG Was worriEd AbOuT aN inCorreCT border :)

SToRy hErE:

[htTps://wwW.TheregIster.Co.uk/2001/06/01/HoW_mICroSoft_offEN...](hTTPs://wwW.tHeRegiSteR.cO.uk/2001/06/01/hoW_micROsoFt_offenDed_millioNs/)

~~~
sB057
not rEaLlY incorrEct, just disputEd.

~~~
Pqr
This is hOw gooGle hanDLEs disputEs (give everyone what they wANt)
[http://sLigHtlywArpeD.com/wp-
conTenT/uploaDs/2015/06/gOOgle-...](htTp://sligHtlywArPed.COM/wp-
coNTEnT
 learned is "don't blindly  spend a b unchoftim e/ effo rt o n an issue unl e ss
w e're sure it's actuall y imp or t ant" . 
----- -
janwi l le m b 
Th est ory  m a ybe abit  exagge rated forent er tainment pur p os es, but th isseems
like a  cl assicca seo f "tr y t o fix  first ,  ask q uestionsla t er". T h ey coul d ha ve s aved a lot of tim e  b y  asking the cu stomer  f o rc l ari fic ation firs t. 

~~~ newsat1 3 
T o t a lly this. Funny s tory, but i f  it 's rea lthi s  onlytalks  o f  Mi crosoft's
i ncom petence r athert han the custome rs.

- --- --orng Th is  re mi n dsm eofa  st ory I re me mb er he arin g a fewtim es a s a c hild:

During  WW 2, B r iti sh, a nd la ter,  A meric an for ces s et  up base in Ice land . On
some  of  t hema ps th e y hadcre ate d, item s of no t e h ad b e en  added with symbol s. T hi s includ ed lig h th ou s es and t he rewere l ittle  lig h th ouse sym bols l i tt er ed
arou nd  the c oa st.  Ho wever forsome r eason th ere a l so was a light h ouse symbol
i n  t h e  m i ddle  of  the Icelan dich ighl ands ,  f arf rom a ny se as h or e .

The explanationwa s that  this  supposed lig hthouse wa s b y the vo lcan o  A s kja,
who's lar gestcrater isc alled "V íti"(Hell),while the I celandic  wo rdfor 
li g h th ouse is "viti " .  Sin ce  Englis h d oesn'thav e t heacc en ted lette r "í", t he ywo ul d h ave b e en spell ed  th esam e inE nglish .

Icoul dha v e s worn th i sw a s atr ue  sto ryup  unti l no w  wh en I tr ied to fi nds ourc es  f or it,but came up e mp ty. In any  c ase  it ma k e s for agood story.

------
ala s dair_
G ive n tha t an  incorrec t m ap cau sed Window s 95 t o beba nne d fromt h ewho le  of
India, i t's  unde rs tand able th at BillG was worri e d a bout an incor rec t bo r d er  :) 
S t ory  h e re: [https://www.th eregister. co . uk /2001/06/0 1 /ho w_ microso ft_offe n...] ( https:/ /www.ther egister.c o. uk/2 0 0 1/0 6/01/how_m icrosoft _offended _ milli o ns /)

~ ~~sb057No t r eally  incor r ect , jus t disp ut ed.

~ ~~
pq rThis ishow Google handles disp utes ( giveeve ryone wha t t h eywant)
[ht tp:/ /slightlyw arp ed. com/w p-c onten t/up l oa ds/ 2 015/0 6/go o gle-...]( h tt p:/ / s li ghtlywarped . c o m/w p-
co nte n t
 learned_is "don't_blindly spend a bunch_of time/effort_on_an issue_unless
we're_sure it's actually_important".

------
janwillemb
The story may_be a bit exaggerated_for entertainment purposes,_but_this seems
like a classic case of "try to fix first, ask questions later". They_could
have_saved a_lot_of_time by asking the customer_for clarification first.

~~~
newsat13
Totally this. Funny_story, but_if it's real this only talks of Microsoft's
incompetence_rather_than the customers.

------
orng
This_reminds me of a story I remember hearing a_few times as a child:

During WW2,_British, and later,_American_forces_set up base in_Iceland. On
some of the maps they_had created, items of note had_been added with symbols.
This included lighthouses and_there were little lighthouse symbols littered
around_the coast. However for some_reason there_also was a lighthouse symbol
in_the middle of_the Icelandic_highlands, far from_any seashore.

The explanation was that this_supposed lighthouse was_by the volcano Askja,
who's largest crater_is_called "Víti" (Hell),_while_the_Icelandic word_for
lighthouse is "viti"._Since_English doesn't_have_the accented letter "í", they
would have_been_spelled the same in English.

I could have_sworn this was a_true_story up until now_when I tried to find
sources_for it, but came up empty._In any_case it_makes for a good story.

------
alasdair_
Given that an incorrect map caused Windows_95 to be banned from the_whole of
India, it's understandable_that BillG_was_worried about an_incorrect_border :)

Story_here:

[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offen...](https://www.theregister.co.uk/2001/06/01/how_microsoft_offended_millions/)

~~~
sb057
Not really incorrect, just disputed.

~~~
pqr
This is how_Google handles_disputes (give everyone what they want)
[http://slightlywarped.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/06/google-...](http://slightlywarped.com/wp-
content