Skip to content
HomeVideosBooksBlogs
AllTop postsTopics
Podcasts
HistoryListsWatch laterLiked videosFollowing

The videos, books, blogs and podcasts Hacker News keeps recommending, all in one place.

VideosBooksBlogsPodcastsAboutPrivacySettings

Data from Hacker News, HackerTube, HackerBooks, HackerBlogs and Open Library. Credits · Not affiliated with Y Combinator.

HomeVideosBooksBlogsPodcasts
Ctrl K
    P

    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.

    Visit blogHN submissions
    Career & WorkManagementTech Industry
    What HN says

    Commenters bring it up whenever large IT projects fail, quoting its line about contempt for human dignity and wondering how the project ended.

    Stats for nerds
    18HN people shared it
    13linked in comments
    280story points
    Oct 2019last shared
    2018people per year2019

    Top posts on HN

    1. 1
      Project from Hell (2008)
      1 person · 250 points · first shared 2018 · 148 comments on HN
    2. 2
      Project from Hell
      13 people · 29 points · first shared 2018 · 1 comments on HN
    3. 3
      Follow-Up on Project from Hell
      1 person · 1 points · first shared 2020 · Discussion on HN
    4. 4
      Follow up on project from hell
      2 people · first shared 2018
    5. 5
      Amp
      1 person · first shared 2018

    What HN people wrote when they linked it

    • baud147258Apr 2018

      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-from-hell/

    • ElFitzOct 2019

      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-troops-bonuses

    • cpetersoApr 2018

      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-from-hell/

    • mixmastamykJul 2018

      "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/

    • unixheroMay 2019

      Reminds me of this: https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/project-from-hell/

      Discussed here before: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16793884

    • barbsApr 2018

      Lets hope it's not as bad as this French government project:

      https://projectfailures.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/project-from-hell/

    Related

    The HFT Guythehftguy.com75 people

    The most remarkable legacy system I have seen

    The HFT Guy
    Personal · last shared 2026
    Rachel Krollrachelbythebay.com493 people

    fork() can fail

    Rachel Kroll
    Personal · last shared 2026
    Startups Anonymousstartupsanonymous.com32 people

    We're Shutting Down and I'm Scared

    Startups Anonymous
    Publication · last shared 2018
    The Daily WTFthedailywtf.com778 people

    The Therac-25 Incident (2021)

    The Daily WTF
    Publication · last shared 2026
    Clients From Hellclientsfromhell.net42 people

    You're Not a Developer

    Clients From Hell
    Publication · last shared 2021
    Better Programmingbetterprogramming.pub319 people

    Three programmers got fired, including me, due to a single app crash

    Better Programming
    Publication · last shared 2025
    Still Drinkingstilldrinking.org174 people

    Coffee Is Hard

    Still Drinking
    Personal · last shared 2026
    Dan Luudanluu.com1.2k people

    We only hire the trendiest

    Dan Luu
    Personal · last shared 2026