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Another platform on which Java will not run – platform 1 of Newcastle's Central Station

(2021/05/11)


Bork!Bork!Bork! It's a blessed respite for Microsoft's wares today as it appears that it is Java's turn to disgrace itself on platform 1 of Newcastle upon Tyne's Central Station.

In this case it is the Java Platform SE binary that has fallen over. The version of Windows on which it is running looks decidedly old hat to us, and eagle-eyed Reg reader Dan who sent us the snaps said fans of obsolescence will be delighted to learn that Windows XP splash screen can also occasionally be seen on the screens of some ticket gates.

Be that as it may, the Windows shell on display looks decidedly out of date. We can only hope that the same does not apply to the Java licence, otherwise the next train might be stuffed full of lawyers of the big and red variety.

[1]

Click to enlarge

The platforms at Central Station underwent a revamp in 2015, part of a scheme that was also aimed at giving the ticket hall a facelift. At the time, Nexus (the agency responsible for transport in Tyne and Wear) [2]said : "The project at Central Station will give the Metro concourse and platforms a vibrant, clean and more modern appearance."

Because, after all, nothing screams "modern" like a borked bit of digital signage. Even if "modern" is not the word one would use to describe that particular flavour of Windows.

[3]

[4]

As for what might have befallen Java, it's hard to know. Windows is clearly keen to go online and look for a solution (although we can count the number of times that's helped on the fingers of a lamppost), but in this instance our money would probably be on something amiss with a video driver.

Quite why one would need the combined lard of Windows and Java to tell punters that the next train to South Shields will arrive soon is anyone's guess. We assume it is just the modern way of doing things. ®

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[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/05/10/newcastle2.jpg

[2] https://www.nexus.org.uk/news/item/%C2%A36m-revamp-central-station-metro-gets-underway

[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YJqqHeOHljglPhsQYir8YwAAAAI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0

[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YJqqHeOHljglPhsQYir8YwAAAAI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0

[5] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/

sanmigueelbeer

[1]As Adobe Flash stops running, so do some railroads in China

The last line of the article is the "icing on the cake": Authorities fixed the issue by installing a pirated version of Flash at 4:30 a.m. the following day .

Charming `til the end.

[1] https://hk.appledaily.com/news/20210117/FLXATT4LKVBGVEBRLAECJPTCHM/

"We assume it is just the modern way of doing things"

Pascal Monett

The "modern" way of doing things is to link your production code to some fookin' Git library and call it a day.

Don't go checking the code of said library to make sure that it does what it says on the tin, that would be actual work.

So the second train in the list...

lglethal

is heading to South Java, yeah?

Re: So the second train in the list...

Korev

Pick up some Java from the coffee stand on the way...

Re: So the second train in the list...

TRT

Railways are one place where you don't want to see any Java version, including Mar Java, Mit Java, Lut Java, Main Sadke Java.

Java runs on 3 Billions devices ... .sometimes

knarf

Happy path coding and no recovery... bork bork bork

What is geordie for Bork?

Anonymous Coward

F****d

If you're ever stuck for a geordie translation that will usually cover it.

Re: What is geordie for Bork?

jeffty

"pua knackared that leek"

Hubert Cumberdale

Quite why one would need the combined lard of Windows and Java to tell punters that the next train to South Shields will arrive soon is anyone's guess.

Because [1]this .

[1] https://xkcd.com/801/

J27

When you see something like this it probat means they just got someone to knock it out instead of paying for real developers... Or the people who commissioned it were so out to lunch that they hired frauds to do the work, this happens a lot in software.

Blank Reg

Nothing wrong with using Java here. platform agnostic and plenty of people available who can update the application if needed.

But a PC running Windows? Why when there are a multitude of small embedded computers available running your choice of more robust OSes that can easily handle such a simple task.

Underlying Principle of Socio-Genetics:
Superiority is recessive.