[1] : Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001)

crash and burn vi.,n. a spectacular crash, in the mode of the
   conclusion of the car-chase scene in the movie "bullitt" and many
   subsequent imitators compare die horribly. sun-3 monitors losing the
   flyback transformer and lightning strikes on vax-11/780 backplanes are
   notable crash and burn generators. the construction `crash-and-burn
   machine' is reported for a computer used exclusively for alpha or beta
   testing, or reproducing bugs i.e., not for development. the
   implication is that it wouldn't be such a disaster if that machine
   crashed, since only the testers would be inconvenienced.


see also:
die horribly beta 

[2] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

crash and burn
     
         a spectacular crash, in the mode of the conclusion of
        the car-chase scene in the movie "bullitt" and many subsequent
        imitators compare die horribly.  a sun-3 display
        screen losing the flyback transformer and lightning strikes
        on vax-11/780 backplanes are notable crash and burn
        generators.
     
        the construction "crash-and-burn machine" is reported for a
        computer used exclusively for alpha or beta testing, or
        reproducing bugs i.e. not for development.  the implication
        is that it wouldn't be such a disaster if that machine
        crashed, since only the testers would be inconvenienced.
     
        jargon file
     
        1996-02-22
     
     
see also:
die horribly sun-3 display screen vax-11/780 beta jargon file 

Burn >> B Words
Burn, definition of term: Burn
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Burn Out >> B Words
Burn Out, definition of term: Burn Out
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Burn Down >> B Words
Burn Down, definition of term: Burn Down
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