Colin Lippiatt, manager of corporate communications for the Virgin Blue group of airlines, said the cause of the problem has been found, an external supplier's hardware failure.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/computer-glitch-causes-virgin-blue-delays-20100926-15s0k.html
Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson back in July commented on Phillipe Mora's article in the Sydney Morning Herald who explained that computer hackers can and do cause havoc by inserting "Trojan horse" programs and "worms" into the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, that control computers in critical infrastructure items such as power grids, industrial plants, dams, banks, financial markets and oil and gas technology.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/hackers-create-a-web-of-fear-and-terror-as-excrement-hits-home-20100529-wmbi.html
Mark Tronson says, that this recent VirginBlue experiences again demonstrates how such things are so dangerous to macro infrastructure items, about which we just have to trust the organisations that control them because we can't do anything about it, and they can employ the experts to rectify the problems.
However, in that July article he focused in on the dangers of having one's personal identity stolen and he commented that there is a list of 'micro' items that can be hacked that could affect our personal lives and privacy, that we can and should be vigilant about.
http://au.christiantoday.com/article/computer-hacking-infrastructure-and-your-identity/8660.htm
Clearly, this and many recent cases within the public and private sectors illustrate there are enormous challenges to retain computer services and keep one step ahead of those wanting to engage in such evil acts at the macro (infrastructure computer security) level. It's a jungle out there!
Perhaps we are closer to situations described in The Revelation, the last book of the Bible, than anyone of us thought possible. But there is a solution, albeit not a convenient one. It will demand a slower pace to what we as a society demand, but, surprise surprise, we can do without computers.
We can hardly imagine what life would be like today without computerisation. Life would continue without the excessive use of computers, but it would demand a very different attitude to life. And the experience would be painful.
We may not trip around quite so quickly, but extensive travel would continue. Reality check due - travel in the ancient world was extensive. We have Abraham travelling throughout the middle east. The Apostle Paul's missionary journey's as described in the New Testament illustrate the frequency and normality of travel.
We can note Captain Cook's sea voyages, and Captain Phillip's First Fleet to Sydney Cove, and in the world of make believe theatre, there is hardly a more travelled private detective than Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. His travels are as prolific as are is his crime colving.
Yes, life would go on without computers, surprisingly much the same as we know it, but with less speed. M V Tronson notes that his monthly mission newsletter which is sent by snail mail would be a case of 'back to the future' – which indeed, would be the latest technology!
