Project Failures
projectfailures.wordpress.com · Personal blog · on HN since 2018
An anonymous author recounts a failed IT project, 'Project from Hell', set in French contractor companies, with later follow-ups including a boss jailed for fraud.
What HN saysCommenters bring it up whenever large IT projects fail, quoting its line about contempt for human dignity and wondering how the project ended.
18HN people shared it
6linked it in comments
13stories submitted
280story points
7 years agolast shared
2018people per year2026
Most-shared posts
- 1Project from Hell13 people · 29 points · first shared 2018 · 1 comments on HN
- 2Follow up on project from hell2 people · first shared 2018
- 3Project from Hell (2008)1 people · 250 points · first shared 2018 · 148 comments on HN
- 4Follow-Up on Project from Hell1 people · 1 points · first shared 2020 · discussion on HN
- 5Amp1 people · first shared 2018
What HN people wrote when they linked it
cpeterso · 2018-04-09
So what was the ultimate fate of the project? The 2018 follow-up post [1] says the boss was jailed for fraud, but doesn't say whether the project eventually shipped or was killed (or, even worse, is still in development).
[1] https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2018/03/24/follow-up-on-project-…
baud147258 · 2018-04-09
From another post in the blog:
"Among the many comments, some surprised me. Seems lots of people cannot believe you can be fired in France for being 1 minute late at work. Sorry to burst your bubble, mates, but this is what SSIIs (contractor companies) were invented for. You don’t lose your job, you immediately lose the contract you are working on (no justification needed, this is what contractors are for)"
So they were not really employees, but consultants.
Still, he also wrote:
"For people who have a direct contract with the company, same story. Nothing prevents the company from saying you have committed a major blunder, fire you on the spot, and see you a couple of years later in court (Prud’hommes). Yes, that will cost them money if people choose to sue (I hope they all did). When you are unemployed, are you really looking forward to two years of battle with your former employer, even though you know you will win?"
Link to the post: https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2018/03/24/follow-up-on-project-…
ElFitz · 2019-10-03
Oh, Capgemini! Had to work with one of their SDKs once. Oh my. Wish I hadn't.
But maybe we could suggest them to pick, say... Steria? Louvois was such a success[^1]
Reminds me of https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/project-from-hell/
[1]: http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20140404-faulty-software-robs-french-car-troop…
unixhero · 2019-05-25
Reminds me of this: https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/project-from-hell/
Discussed here before: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16793884
mixmastamyk · 2018-07-09
"Far more serious than just a lack of professional competence was the utmost contempt for human dignity…"
https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/project-from-hell/amp…
barbs · 2018-04-17
Lets hope it's not as bad as this French government project:
https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/project-from-hell/