Would tripwire work for the NFL?
Rob: did you hear?
Tony: hear what?
Rob: The NFL decided they wanted the equivalent of the yellow line to help the referee’s determine whether the team got the first down or not. They announced a contest: million dollar prize to the winner.
Tony: Its about time they fixed all those mistakes.
Rob: should we try?
Tony: yup … million dollars buys a lot of beers dude!
Rob: any requirements?
Tony: the solution is expected to: (1) tell us in real-time that the line had been crossed; (2) also it should only get tripped when the person carrying the ball crossed it and in the right direction; (3) not effect the normal play.
Rob: any ideas?
Tony: not really … but I remember hearing that our IT uses a product called Tripwire. Let me go ask them what it does … seems like something we could use
Rob: wow man … we could ski al year long
[ … next day …]
Rob: whazz up man … did they let you in?
Tony: yes man … but I got very confused there. They use this thing called tripwire … but it doesn’t trip. Someone could cross it a million times but it trip’s only when the manager decides to go run it.
Rob: that wouldn’t work.
Tony: nope. It will be like having chains … you got to go check each time.
Rob: I can’t imagine using chains on all the machines they have, no wonder they look beat like our referee’s with everyone shouting at them
Tony: It gets worse. This Tripwire they use doesn’t even tell you who crossed it. Or it kind of does, it tells you the last person who crossed it.
Rob: but we would want the first person wouldn’t we?
Tony: yes we would and also not just one person … but every person who crossed the line with the ball.
Rob: so this Tripwire stuff can’t tell you who or when they crossed … what do they use it for?
Tony: I don’t know man …
Rob: maybe your guys are not upto snuff on this stuff … I have a friend who works at this big company and he does something to do with SOX. I remember he was up one night and mentioned tripwire … maybe they already have something like that in baseball … I will check him out.
Tony: later dude
Rob: cya
…to be continued …
Add comment December 19th, 2006