--- Tim <ignored_mailbox@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > On Mon, 2006-11-20 at 10:49 -0800, George Arseneault > wrote: > > Actually 'real' debugging was when they ran > distilled > > water over the circuits to remove the dead bugs. > (Back > > when computers took up their own building) > > Hmm, just water? > > It's years since I've actually seen a real > mainframe, though this was a > transistorised one. Great big metal cabinets, where > you opened up the > doors to a rat's nest of wire-wrap, and it used > water-cooling through > the doors as well as the rest of the cabinet. Theoretically, pure water does *not* conduct electricity. It's the other particles (ions, whatever) that allow it to conduct. So, it *should* be safe to run the water over running circuits. Of course, any contaminants (oil, grease, dust, whatever) *could* cause a short-circuit. But, I read somewhere that they did precisely that, long ago. And, that the reason we call the abnormal/strange occurrences in programs, bugs, is that they were often caused by bugs, rodents, etc. shorting out or chewing through the computer's circuits ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sponsored Link Mortgage rates near 39yr lows. $510k for $1,698/mo. Calculate new payment! www.LowerMyBills.com/lre
