What fun from a Macintosh SE

From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Date: Fri Aug 20 18:28:15 2004

> > It's a pretty defeastist and lazy message for this group. I'm just not
> > accustomed to people being too lazy to find the right tool, too scared to
> > open up a case, and too insecure to attempt any sort of inspection of a
> > computer.
>
> That's bullshit.
>
> I have an IBM 9-track tabletop that isn't getting powered up till I
> get docs. Period. I don't feel like taking a chance with it, because
> it's a damn nice drive.

It's one thing to be senibly cautious -- to read the manuals before
taking something apart (although to be honest, I've never had a problem
just pulling the case). To check PSUs on dummy load before powering the
machine up (this one is a lot more important IMHO -- a defective PSU (and
I've had them) could wipe out every chip in the machine. To use scratch
media before mounting the only copy of the distribution disk. And so on.

It's quite another to be afraid to _ever_ pull the case, power the
machine up, mount the distribution disk, etc. You'll never do anything
unless you have a go.

I was once told 'The designer who never blew a chip is a bad designer. He
never designed anything'. It's a view I totally agree with. You _will_
make mistages. The thing is to be careful with irreplacable (to you)
stuff, not to never do anything.

-tony
Received on Fri Aug 20 2004 - 18:28:15 BST