Yessssssss
Its the return of BOT WARS!!
12:34:56am. Company Stores Wakeup trigger. . . 9 ... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... SELFTEST: OK 2 ... 1 Peripheral test ... USB Boot Media ... OK Panel ... OK Cameras ... Std:OK,Infra:OK,UV:OK 3D Directional Mic OK Hi Speed Steppers 1:OK,2:OK,3:OK,4:OK SERVOS 1:OK,2:OK,3:OK,4:OK Battery OK, level 67% Servo Saw OK …
No, not the BOFH or PFY, but the guys sending the robot.
It should have been made to look like a piece of expensive networking kit, then sent using a mistyped shipping address to the office. (It's not that difficult to set up a company with a similar-sounding name and easily mistaken address)
Would the BOFH or PFY return a package with expensive kit if they could blame the loss on the shipper?
And the receiving company actually calls around to ask if it showed up there instead?
Also, there's a lot of room in some of the larger networking boxes...
(Enough for a small robot, or possibly some Thermite... )
A while ago, we received a mystery package. It sat on a trolley for a couple of months, before I noticed it in our store-room. Several large, very heavy-duty aluminium boxes, sprouting masses of different sizes round military-grade multi-pin connectors. Sitting on shock-absorbing mountings too. I googled the manufacturers name, and found that it was a certain German company, making electronics for the military. I e-mailed the Germans, and they e-mailed back saying something along the lines of: "Oh gosh, thanks for notifying us, that thing is top secret and we have accidentally broken several laws regarding shipping of restricted technology, please keep the thing safe, and we'll arrange a pick-up very shortly."
That was 6 months ago, and it is still sitting on a trolley in a corner of our store room.
I believe it is a kind of inertial navigation system. Probably for a submarine. Wonder why they don't want it back?
The accuracy needed to maneuver a sub in narrow straits or even a fjord is quite high, and the equipment for it is pretty advanced.
Just mentioning that you have it sitting in a storeroom probably broke a few regs...
(Even if you're anonymous. Someone at El Reg might be logging IPs... )
Frankly, if I was you, I'd be calling the Navy about now.
Thanks for that. And I'm not TOO worried about being rumbled, I haven't actually done anything particularly wrong. I have to admit, I WAS tempted to pop the thing open and have a good look at the gubbins inside. I haven't done that though. What I have done is: I took several pictures of one of the junior engineers fumbeling with the various bits of kit, I recon that should be enough to keep the heat off me, if it all goes pear-shaped. And also: What country's navy should I alert? I live and work in the UK, but am not a native. The Germans failed to get in touch, Trygve; Would you like a bit of navy memorabilia?