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crash and burn
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crash and burn /vi.,n./ 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). Sun-3
monitors 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
wouldn't be such a disaster if that machine crashed, since only the
testers would be inconvenienced.
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