Gremlins

Gremlin is an English folkloric creature, commonly depicted as mischievous and mechanically oriented, with a specific interest in aircraft. Although their origin is found in myths among airmen, claiming that the gremlins were responsible for sabotaging aircraft, John W. Hazen states that "some people" derive the name from the Old English word gremian, "to vex".^[1] Since World War II, different fantastical creatures have been referred to as gremlins, bearing varying degrees of resemblance to the originals.

 

She entered my office and casually noted that her printer wasn't working. Its a network printer, physically located in my office but she prints from her desk upstairs. No software updates, nothing in particualr had changed, it just suddenly stopped working.

The light doesn't come on in the refrigerator. Every so often, you get a surprise when opening the door to find that the light failed to come on. No other indication, the temperature is fine, the bulb is seated, it just doesn't light...sometimes.

The picture looks great, but no sound. Volume is adjusted, the mute isn't on, just silence. If you reboot all is well. Just that sometimes, you turn on the TV and the sound doesn't work.

The passenger side seatbelt warning doesn't go off with a passenger in the seat...sometimes. Usually it does go out, indicating that the airbag is armed, but sometimes it doesn't. Jiggle the belt, bounce on the seat or adjust your position doesn't make a difference. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Gremlins.