A little over two weeks ago, the news media started to carry stories about NatWest customers having trouble accessing their accounts. The stories nearly all took the line that a “glitch” in the bank’s computer systems had led to some accounts not being updated correctly. Over the next couple of days it became apparent that the problem was widespread and continuing.
The media eventually realised that the problem was not confined to NatWest, but also RBS, Ulster Bank and several others. It became apparent that the problem centred on the RBS clearing system, which is housed in Edinburgh.

The news reports mostly changed the name of the bank involved, partly because it allowed them to keep whipping RBS; since Fred the Shred’s day the bank has become a hate figure for the media.
However, they all continued to call the fault a “glitch”. In the IT industry this wasn’t being referred to as a glitch. A glitch is an annoyance – this was a full-scale, industrial-strength, grade A disaster.
This is a long post – grab a coffee.
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