I didn't expect to see such a job advertisement in Germany in 2024, and I thought I had crossed it:
Creation of high-quality graphical interfaces for train control systems that display important technical data in real time to drivers of high-speed and regional trains.
Skill: Win 311
Proficiency in traditional operating systems and Windows Manager, especially MS-DOS and Windows for Workgroups
Do you dare to think? windows 3.11！Even if you are an embedded system, you can't embed it that deep!
Recently, this recruitment for Deutsche Bahn won 3The advertisement of 11 talents went viral on the Internet, and Deutsche Bahn was ridiculed by countless netizens. Because:
windows for workgpoups 3.System 11 was released in 1993 with revolutionary addition of network and LAN capabilities, plug-and-play technology, but retired in November 2008 and even Microsoft no longer provides maintenance support.
That said: DB is looking for a player who is good at Windows 3, the operating system that is more than 30 years old11 of the IT experts, or, go back to hire a retired old expert? Wouldn't it be better to find it?
After being ridiculed by the group, this job advertisement was actually deleted again. Of course, it is not yet known whether there is an inevitable connection between being deleted and being ridiculed by the group.
Germany** questioned the authenticity of the advertisement. After an investigation by the German media, it became known that the advertisement came from Siemens Mobility, which produces internal combustion engines and regional trains for the DB Group, and also recruits talents for DB's system.
A Siemens spokesperson confirmed that the advertisements were real, explaining in complex official language: "Since trains and rail infrastructure already have a useful life of 30 years or more, our customer (DB) will continue to safely use tried and tested industry-standard legacy systems." We are responsible for ensuring that they are supported and maintained throughout their entire life cycle. ”
The German press ironically simplified the translation of the above: "Some trains still rely on ancient technology!" ”
However, both DB AG and Siemens Mobility emphasize the safety of passengers and staff even if outdated systems are still in use. In addition, Deutsche Bahn also emphasises that while most of the train system is still using WIN 311, but there are also trains that use modern technology, including artificial intelligence.
But neither company answered why the job ad was removed.
In fact, the on-time rate of long-distance transportation in 2023 is only 64%, compared with the previous year (65.).2%) is down slightly, and about a third of long-distance trains are not on time. 36% of those stops were delayed by more than 5 minutes and 59 seconds.
Deutsche Bahn received 8.6 billion euros in subsidies from the federal, state and local** in 2022, and according to the plan set by Deutsche Bahn itself a few months ago, the on-time performance should be increased to 70%.
DB now needs to weigh whether to use the money to raise the salaries of train drivers, replace them with a new operating system, or train a group of post-00s win 311 operators, after all, in a few years to re-hire will not be able to recruit this traditional skill master!