I think "failsafe" began as an engineering term. It's a mechanism built-in to a machine (or into a system, routine, process, etc.) that in theory serves to shut-down during a catastrophic failure. In a worst-case scenario, where a human controller can't respond, where everything goes wrong, a failsafe is an automatic and last-ditch, usually preventing the worst from occuring.
I think "failsafe" began as an engineering term. It's a mechanism built-in to a machine (or into a system, routine, process, etc.) that in theory serves to shut-down during a catastrophic failure. In a worst-case scenario, where a human controller can't respond, where everything goes wrong, a failsafe is an automatic and last-ditch, usually preventing the worst from occuring.
I suppose a failsafe doesn't always shut something down. In an jet airplane, for example, a failsafe might simply prevent a catastrophic event from happening.
I suppose a failsafe doesn't always shut something down. In an jet airplane, for example, a failsafe might simply prevent a catastrophic event from happening.
In engineering, a failsafe is a device which makes something safe in the event that it fails. It does not necessarily prevent a failure from occurring, but it makes the system as safe as possible in the event of failure.
In engineering, a failsafe is a device which makes something safe in the event that it fails. It does not necessarily prevent a failure from occurring, but it makes the system as safe as possible in the event of failure.
@DJgif
I know I'm chiming over a decade late, but I think the relevant definition of failsafe still hasn't been mentioned. It's a military term related to an operational system where pilots must assume their current bombing mission has been aborted unless they have received explicit orders to proceed by the time they reach a designated point, known as the failsafe point or simply failsafe.
@DJgif
I know I'm chiming over a decade late, but I think the relevant definition of failsafe still hasn't been mentioned. It's a military term related to an operational system where pilots must assume their current bombing mission has been aborted unless they have received explicit orders to proceed by the time they reach a designated point, known as the failsafe point or simply failsafe.
I'm not military, so I my be describing this slightly incorrectly, but I learned this today after watching the Moral Oral episode "Dumb", which used "Failsafe" in place of the opening theme....
I'm not military, so I my be describing this slightly incorrectly, but I learned this today after watching the Moral Oral episode "Dumb", which used "Failsafe" in place of the opening theme. I think the concept is kind of beautiful (and the song is lovely too, albeit the lyrics are clearly a bit darker than the idea of a pilot hoping not to have to bomb anyone today).
I agree with above but what exactly does 'failsafe' mean?
I think "failsafe" began as an engineering term. It's a mechanism built-in to a machine (or into a system, routine, process, etc.) that in theory serves to shut-down during a catastrophic failure. In a worst-case scenario, where a human controller can't respond, where everything goes wrong, a failsafe is an automatic and last-ditch, usually preventing the worst from occuring.
I think "failsafe" began as an engineering term. It's a mechanism built-in to a machine (or into a system, routine, process, etc.) that in theory serves to shut-down during a catastrophic failure. In a worst-case scenario, where a human controller can't respond, where everything goes wrong, a failsafe is an automatic and last-ditch, usually preventing the worst from occuring.
I suppose a failsafe doesn't always shut something down. In an jet airplane, for example, a failsafe might simply prevent a catastrophic event from happening.
I suppose a failsafe doesn't always shut something down. In an jet airplane, for example, a failsafe might simply prevent a catastrophic event from happening.
In engineering, a failsafe is a device which makes something safe in the event that it fails. It does not necessarily prevent a failure from occurring, but it makes the system as safe as possible in the event of failure.
In engineering, a failsafe is a device which makes something safe in the event that it fails. It does not necessarily prevent a failure from occurring, but it makes the system as safe as possible in the event of failure.
@DJgif I know I'm chiming over a decade late, but I think the relevant definition of failsafe still hasn't been mentioned. It's a military term related to an operational system where pilots must assume their current bombing mission has been aborted unless they have received explicit orders to proceed by the time they reach a designated point, known as the failsafe point or simply failsafe.
@DJgif I know I'm chiming over a decade late, but I think the relevant definition of failsafe still hasn't been mentioned. It's a military term related to an operational system where pilots must assume their current bombing mission has been aborted unless they have received explicit orders to proceed by the time they reach a designated point, known as the failsafe point or simply failsafe.
I'm not military, so I my be describing this slightly incorrectly, but I learned this today after watching the Moral Oral episode "Dumb", which used "Failsafe" in place of the opening theme....
I'm not military, so I my be describing this slightly incorrectly, but I learned this today after watching the Moral Oral episode "Dumb", which used "Failsafe" in place of the opening theme. I think the concept is kind of beautiful (and the song is lovely too, albeit the lyrics are clearly a bit darker than the idea of a pilot hoping not to have to bomb anyone today).