3 Feb
2011
3 Feb
'11
8:44 p.m.
I'd agree. ?The problem is convincing people to
spend the time tracking
down an intermittent fault somewhere within more than a dozen possible
pieces of equipment. ?Sometimes it's easier to just wait for it to go
BANG!, and pick up the pieces. ?There's nothing irreplacable or unique
that it could destroy, and the equipment is generally designed to
contain such a problem to avoid hurting a person who's nearby when it
happens.
Also, the machines are generally designed to avoid hurting themselves.
The big higher end stuff tends to have enough protection circuitry
that power supply (and environmental) failures do not end up
destroying the rest of the electronics.
IBM mainframe and midrange equipment has an unbelievable amount of
extra stuff in the power supplies. I do not worry much at all about
turning on some old bit of IBM gear - if there is a problem, the
machine will give a power check (or temperature check), shut down
safely, and will let me know to pull out the Big Blue Binder with the
repair instructions.
--
Will