The 'server toss' is 2014's answer to the caber toss

Japanese engineers fling $5,000 worth of hardware for the sheer joy of it

Christopher Hooton
Tuesday 17 June 2014 15:29 BST
Comments
Be gone with you, cursed server!
Be gone with you, cursed server!

The traditional Scottish sport of tossing a caber dates back to the Middle Ages, but this is the 21st century goddamnit, and people need modern things to toss like a 3D-printed Angry Bird or a bust of Jennifer Lawrence made out of Biscoff Spread, or a computer server.

Thankfully, Japanese company Speedlink have at least made the latter a reality, holding an 'Engineer Olympic Games' in Tokyo that aims to "liven up the engineering industry" by getting workers to compete in tech-themed athletic events.

The 'server toss' is one such event, which sees participants throw a $5,000 server much like a shot put before measuring the distance it travelled.

Each server weighs between 20 and 30 kilograms, with Netorabo being quick to point out that they no longer work, so this isn't some sinister, opulent exercise in throwing away brand new hardware.

Judging by a video of the event, servers make for a more satisfying thud than shot puts and discuses, so maybe its time to start petitioning for it to feature at Rio 2016?

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