American airline Southwest Airlines does not use Windows 3.1, as claimed in viral messages. The company does use outdated software, but avoided the Crowdstrike crash because it doesn't use that software.
Airlines and Rumors
Erroneous Reports
Recently in the Media and social networks, information spread that Southwest Airlines was able to avoid a technical failure thanks to the use of the Windows 3.1 operating system. However, these data turned out to be unreliable.
Source of misinformation
An investigation by OS News revealed that the source of this information was a viral tweet, the author of which later admitted to trolling. It referred to a 2023 article that compared Southwest's internal software to Windows 3.1 in terms of age, but did not state that the company actually uses that OS.
Real situation
In fact, Southwest Airlines does use legacy software, specifically the SkySolver and Crew Web Access systems, which have been around since about 2007. These programs visually resemble applications for Windows 95, which has given rise to rumors about the use of this OS.
Reason for avoiding failure
According to ABC News, Southwest Airlines avoided the problems associated with the Crowdstrike outage simply because it doesn't use the software. Thus, the lack of modern systems in this case played a positive role.
Other rumors
During the period of technical problems, other false reports also spread. For example, there was information that a large sphere in Las Vegas was showing the Windows Blue Screen of Death or even crashed. These reports also turned out to be false.
Glossary
- Southwest Airlines is a large American airline based in Dallas, Texas.
- Crowdstrike is a cybersecurity and threat intelligence services company.
- Windows 3.1 is a Microsoft operating system released in 1992.
- SkySolver is flight planning software used by Southwest Airlines.
- Crew Web Access - Southwest Airlines personnel management system.
Links
- Article about problems with Southwest Airlines
- Article from The Dallas Morning News about systemic problems at Southwest
- ABC News report on non-use of Crowdstrike
- Refuting rumors about the sphere in Las Vegas
- OS News
- Kotaku
Replies questions
What happened to Southwest Airlines during the Crowdstrike outage?
What software problems did Southwest Airlines have?
How did the Windows 3.1 misinformation spread at Southwest Airlines?
What other rumors spread during the Crowdstrike outage?
What are the real causes of Southwest Airlines software problems?
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Discussion of the topic – Fake about Windows 3.1: How Southwest Airlines became a victim of trolling in the Crowdstrike story
The article debunks the false claim that Southwest Airlines avoided the Crowdstrike crash by using Windows 3.1. The source admitted that this was trolling, and in fact there is no such data.
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Francesca
Wow! I would never have thought that in our time someone could use such ancient systems. Although, if they work, why change them? 🤔
Hans
I agree with Francesca. Sometimes older systems are more reliable than new ones. But it’s still strange that such a large airline is not modernizing. Perhaps this is due to the huge upgrade costs?
Olga
Guys, you did not understand the essence of the news. This was trolling, Southwest doesn't actually use Windows 3.1. It's just that their software was compared to this old OS because of the outdated interface. 😅
Pierre
Oh, how easily people believe fake news! Thank you, Olga, for the clarification. But I still wonder why Southwest doesn't update its systems? After all, this can affect flight safety. 🛫
Helmut
Come on, come on. All these newfangled gadgets are a waste of money. The system works - and well. There is nothing to improve there, they will only make it worse.
Isabella
Helmut, but progress does not stand still! Modern systems can be more efficient and secure. Although, I agree that switching to new software is always a risk and a big expense. 💻💰
Juan
And it seems to me that Southwest simply found a middle ground. They use proven software, but are probably constantly improving it. How else would they have avoided the Crowdstrike crash? 🤓
Francesca
Juan, great point! Perhaps they are simply taking a smart approach to cybersecurity without relying on modern software alone. Either way, this story shows how important it is to verify information before spreading it. 📊🔍