History Headscratchers / OfficeSpace

** From a software architecture standpoint, Michael's code probably runs as an independent process separate from the actual Initech credit union software -- that way it's not part of the credit union code base and would not appear in reviews by any Initech developers. However, it's likely that deploying code to the mainframe is automated, and it has a monitor to detect any unauthorized processes running on the system; Samir is likely the one who can get Michael's code loaded and keep it from being flagged as an unauthorized process. Then the only way for anyone to find Michael's code would be to examine the processes ''on the mainframe itself,'' find the process that shouldn't be there, then dissect it to find Michael's skimming code.

** From a software architecture standpoint, Michael's code probably runs as an independent process separate from the actual Initech credit union software -- that way it's not part of the credit union code base and would not appear in reviews by any Initech workers. However, it's plausible that the mainframe also has a process to detect any unauthorized processes running on the system, and Samir is the one who can keep Michael's code from being spotted by the monitors. Then the only way for anyone to find Michael's code would be to examine the processes ''on the mainframe itself,'' find the process that shouldn't be there. in a sea of processes, then dissect the process to find Michael's skimming code.

** I can assure you that there are people who, on watching ''Office Space'' for the first time, didn't expect Milton to actually follow through with his threat to burn down the office -- just like the people of Initech, they've dismissed Milton's constant mumblings as mere background noise and never gave it a second thought (It's certainly not the only time he's said "that's the last straw"). And from an in-universe perspective, the office fire was definitely unexpected for Peter, who had resigned himself to a trip to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison and wouldn't have expected any salvation at all, much less a fire that'd lead him to a new job.

** From a software architecture standpoint, Michael's code probably runs as an independent process separate from the actual Initech credit union software -- that way it's not part of the code base and would not appear in reviews by any Initech workers. However, it's plausible that the mainframe also has a process to detect any unauthorized processes running on the system, and Samir is the one who can keep Michael's code from being spotted by the monitors. Then the only way for anyone to find Michael's code would be to examine the processes ''on the mainframe itself,'' find the process that shouldn't be there in a sea of processes, then dissect it to find Michael's skimming code.

** I can assure you that there are people who, on watching ''Office Space'' for the first time, didn't expect Milton to actually follow through with his threat to burn down the office -- just like the people of Initech, they've dismissed Milton's constant mumblings as mere background noise and never gave it a second thought. And from an in-universe perspective, the office fire was definitely unexpected for Peter, who had resigned himself to a trip to federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison and wouldn't have expected any salvation at all, much less a fire that'd lead him to a new job.

** From a software architecture standpoint, Michael's code probably runs as an independent process separate from the actual Initech credit union software -- that way it's not part of the credit union code base and would not appear in reviews by any Initech workers. However, it's plausible that the mainframe also has a process to detect any unauthorized processes running on the system, and Samir is the one who can keep Michael's code from being spotted by the monitors. Then the only way for anyone to find Michael's code would be to examine the processes ''on the mainframe itself,'' find the process that shouldn't be there. in a sea of processes, then dissect the process to find Michael's skimming code.

* The burning of Initech has been described as a DeusExMachina, which is defined in the link as "when some new event, character, ability, or object solves a seemingly unsolvable problem in a sudden, unexpected way." The arson is a new event, but Milton had been threatening to do it throughout the movie, and near the end he outright said "that's the last straw," so how is his delivery on the threat sudden or unexpected?

*** So what did they need Samir for? Peter's whole reason for including him in the scam was that he knew software better than Michael (or Peter himself) did; if that wasn't the issue, what was?

*** So what did they need Samir for?

** I think her infidelity was obvious to everyone except Peter. Always the last to know...