Not As Bright As A Button
(I work as a programmer for industrial machines in a huge company in Germany. I am responsible for the program of a new kind of cleaning machine, which also has a security door that has to be opened and closed by pushing a button. Before opening a safety interlock needs to be opened. It takes about two seconds before the door ultimately starts opening.)
Project Manager: “Hey, [My Name]. That machine needs to be quicker. Why does it always takes two seconds before the door opens?”
Me: “Uhm… because the safety interlock has to be opened first. That takes two seconds.”
Project Manager: “Couldn’t you remove that safety interlock? Then we would save those seconds?”
Me: “No, sorry. For safety reasons I can’t do that.”
Project Manager: “Okay… What about you open that safety interlock two seconds before that button is pushed. Then the door would open exactly when the button is pushed.”
Me: “… No.”
Question of the Week
Has a customer ever tried to cross you and lived to regret it? What happened?