evolution of misinformation (was: Computer Museum opens in San Diego

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Sun Sep 5 09:31:18 1999

<> > A display case shows the progression of storage disks, starting wit
<> > one from 1965 that's the size of a tractor-trailer tire. It held 2.
<> > megabytes of data and had to be sandblasted to be erased.
<> > Had to be sandblasted to be erased? Huh??
<
<> We've seen that particular bit of silliness before. Once an authoritativ
<> statement of wrong information is made, others will follow, and if/when
<> challenged merely refer to the authority.
<
<I assumed that by "particular bit of silliness" you meant "the 'erased by
<sandblasting' idea" but after a little thought, I realized that maybe you
<just meant "the spreading of a patently false statement".

Let us assume this was likely a military system where media destruction
is commonplace. In that case sandblasting would certainly render it
unreadable, permanently!

Then again it may just be shear sillyness passed along.

Allison
Received on Sun Sep 05 1999 - 09:31:18 BST