1. crash and burn A spectacular crash, in the mode of the conclusion of the car-chase scene in the movie "Bullitt" and many subsequent imitators compare die horribly. A Sun-3 display screen losing the flyback transformer and lightning strikes on VAX-11/780 backplanes are notable crash and burn generators. The construction "crash-and-burn machine" is reported for a computer used exclusively for alpha or beta testing, or reproducing bugs i. e. not for development. The implication is that it wouldnt be such a disaster if that machine crashed, since only the testers would be inconvenienced. [Jargon File]
crash and burn |
