this post was submitted on 15 Feb 2026
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I had IBM as a client. A very high level executive was over the moon when we showed a sql query, a basic select-agg-groupby thing. He loved our "natural language data extraction technology". The meeting wasnt about that, he just asumed we had invented sql queries.
His staff was furious but couldnt correct him live in front of a large audience.
We signed a multi million contract based on this persons lack of understanding, we didnt even have to lie, he just fooled himself.
That's fucking hilarious given that SQL was actually invented by IBM
I had a boss once come to me with an article he had just read about how APIs were the next big thing in programming. He told me I should incorporate some APIs in our software and I told him I would research it. This was in 2010.
my current one did the same talking about microservices like it was the new thing
Did he have pointy hair?
Reminds me of the peter principle. You'll get promoted until you're no longer doing a good enough job to justify another promotion. This leads to having incompetent people in higher positions.
Under the peter principle you only get one level above your competency, that guy sounds high as a kite.
@Railcar8095 Showing people who stopped at "mildly complex MS Excel formulas" something done with SQL always leads to that kind of thing...