OT Don't read this (was Re: Altair MBL source)

Halon does not absob Oxygen. It is an Oxygen displacement that is also heavier than air. In a closed room if enough is introduced under pressure (typically) it will push out all air (Oxygen too) leaving an unbreathable and incombustable mix. Because computer rooms are largely closed any major air displacement is dangerous for the users inside. A bunch of years back I was working at a pharmaceutical plant doing controls. While I was in a HEPA closed filling room some dolt fired up a Freon (R12) system used to pressurize the containers without checking to see if the lines were properly capped. Those 75GPM pumps were pushing liquid Freon that initially I thought was Glycol for cooling. It took only a few seconds for the Freon to vaporize and reduce the breathable air to nil by displacement. In the few seconds it took to evaluate what's going on and get out I was quite hypoxic. My boss was extremely upset with the dolt. I spent many months after that doing lockout/tagout training and used that case as the what can happen. Halon and Freon are similar in that they are "non toxic", incombustable and generally electronics friendly in the gas form. But life is only supported by Oxygen, anything else while not toxic is not breathable without causing hypoxia. Allison