What fun from a Macintosh SE

From: Doc Shipley <doc_at_mdrconsult.com>
Date: Sat Aug 21 18:04:50 2004

Tony Duell wrote:
> 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.

   Oh, I agree totally. At the same time, in this case, I know the
documentation exists, I have a couple more avenues to pursue before I
decide I can't get them, and I don't have a pressing need for that
machine, so it makes sense to me to wait on it.

> 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.

   Heh. I must be a very *good* designer then. ;)

   Seriously, sometimes the choice is to either take a chance without
any outside information, or to leave it as a non-functioning display
piece. That's something for which I have no use. I have blown or burnt
stuff up that I really wanted. It's the occasional price of making
things work.


        Doc
Received on Sat Aug 21 2004 - 18:04:50 BST