21 Aug
2004
21 Aug
'04
11:04 a.m.
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