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Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

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Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#51

Post by astrange »

reaperducer wrote: post #24
low_tech_love wrote: post #6

Living in Europe, I’m deeply amazed at how much help and support he got for free from a bunch of people from one of the most important (and expensive) laboratories in the world. All of that just to basically have some fun and take some pictures. I’m absolutely sure that here he would never have any support to do this. We unfortunately have forgotten how to have fun and be creative here in the old world.

I’m deeply amazed at how much help and support he got for free from a bunch of people from one of the most important (and expensive) laboratories in the world As a former journalist, it truly is amazing the amount of free information that comes out of America's government, and the vast number of truly helpful people who work there. I can't count the number of times I didn't understand something I read in a federal do…

I always wonder where they find people to give quotes in response to events in news articles.

Obviously in politics news it's usually used for evil - like the NYTimes or local TV stations are both famous for quoting a man on the street who's just a concerned citizen, and then you look their name up and they're a lobbyist or something.

But in science news you often see expert X releasing a paper and then someone from university Y, who wasn't involved and wasn't a reviewer, quoted reacting to it. Where does the journalist find them?

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#52

Post by astrange »

technothrasher wrote: post #39
sammalloy wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Back in 1997 I went dumpster diving and got my hands on eight NeXTcubes that a company was getting rid of. Heh. Was this in SF? I think I know who that was.

No, it was outside of Boston. I think there were a lot of places dumping NeXT hardware back then.

Including NeXT. I have one with prototype stickers on. Really need to check what's on those hard drives…

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#53

Post by jacquesm »

low_tech_love wrote: post #26
anyfoo wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who's been living in the US for a while, but who grew up, lived, and worked in Germany all my life before, I'm not sure what you mean. Me and engineers I knew were humans who liked fun (and especially had curiosity), too. As long as proper safety precautions are taken, why not? Seems like it wasn't very different here, either: > "I need to have an MDS --- a Material Date Safety Shet --- on the paint before…

Sure but would you expect Fraunhofer (or something like that) to just give away resources and human hours to just burn a computer case? Of course Europeans have fun, that was just hyperbole; but institutionally speaking, it’s an extremely rigid place. You might even question whether it was ok to spend those resources. Maybe it wasn’t. But every time I go to the USA I’m positively impressed by how much they have the f…

I was making 100's of boards in probably the best equipped tech lab in Europe because the project I was working on was fun and the people that ran the lab figured that if it is going to be done it might as well be done well. Oh, and here are they keys to the parts locker, please do tally what you use and don't worry, we won't charge you, it's just so we know what to re-order...

So yes, that does happen. And that was a lot more substantial than some help burning up a computer case. Also, this www thingy, that's someone's side project.

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#54

Post by jacquesm »

tonylemesmer wrote: post #25
anyfoo wrote: post #17

I wondered the same! Not with NeXTCubes, but I used to have a Sony VAIO N505X at the end of the 90s. A beautiful, tiny laptop in a magnesium case.[1] I vividly remembered all these demonstrations of burning magnesium strips in school, and sometimes wondered whether the case of my laptop would react the same. Of course, I liked that thing, so it always remained a question. [1] Current pictures found on the Internet do…

I still have my 505 Vaio. The rubber feet melted into sticky gel years ago. I put stickers on the lid so not sure what state the paint is in. Battery died a long while ago. Pretty sure the alloy these things are made from is not easily ignitable due to being close to electronics. And to make the product less expensive by alloying with cheaper metals.

Battery can be re-built.

You'll end up with a lot more capacity than the original if you use top of the line new cells.

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#55

Post by jacquesm »

zabzonk wrote: post #21
rodgerd wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honda made an all-magnesium Formula 1 car at one point. The result was horrific.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_RA302 for those interested. the article seems to say it was mg skinned, which would make it even more combustible, as the skin would be thin magnesium is far from being easily machinable, so a chassis/airframe/cube made out of the pure metal is unlikely

You really don't want to use pure magnesium anywhere you can avoid it. But alloys are perfectly safe and are even permitted for airplane cabin construction.

It's quite ok to machine, though it tears easily so you have to be careful on your final pass not to accidentally remove much more material than you intend to.

And if it is pure magnesium you'll want to be pretty careful about your cutting speeds and coolant ;)

That crash looks horrific by the way. Whoever thought that combination was a good idea didn't have their head screwed on properly. That really was quite predictable.

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#56

Post by jacquesm »

astrange wrote: post #52
technothrasher wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it was outside of Boston. I think there were a lot of places dumping NeXT hardware back then.

Including NeXT. I have one with prototype stickers on. Really need to check what's on those hard drives…

If they still spin up. Better not wait too long, one day you'll try and find them seized. If the motor shaft is exposed you may want to try to loosen it up before applying power that might save you a lot of headaches.

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#57

Post by aliqot »

jacquesm wrote: post #53
low_tech_love wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but would you expect Fraunhofer (or something like that) to just give away resources and human hours to just burn a computer case? Of course Europeans have fun, that was just hyperbole; but institutionally speaking, it’s an extremely rigid place. You might even question whether it was ok to spend those resources. Maybe it wasn’t. But every time I go to the USA I’m positively impressed by how much they have the f…

I was making 100's of boards in probably the best equipped tech lab in Europe because the project I was working on was fun and the people that ran the lab figured that if it is going to be done it might as well be done well. Oh, and here are they keys to the parts locker, please do tally what you use and don't worry, we won't charge you, it's just so we know what to re-order... So yes, that does happen. And that was…

I hope you bake those people cookies every winter. That melted my heart to read. This is how you treat peers.

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#58

Post by aliqot »

xvedejas wrote: post #44
low_tech_love wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but would you expect Fraunhofer (or something like that) to just give away resources and human hours to just burn a computer case? Of course Europeans have fun, that was just hyperbole; but institutionally speaking, it’s an extremely rigid place. You might even question whether it was ok to spend those resources. Maybe it wasn’t. But every time I go to the USA I’m positively impressed by how much they have the f…

It's not something I would expect to happen in the US today; the 90s were a very different time. Maybe due to 9/11? But the same amount you're impressed here, I as an American am also surprised. It feels like this story is from a different country than the USA to me. All we do now is follow the rules.

Sears used to be like this back in the day, and this other place, my memory tells me it is Montgomery Ward but I have doubts if that's right.

We brought a machine up there one day and the guy at the window breaks the thing down right there on the spot so young-me at the time could get an explainer of what he was doing. To little me that was the future, and this person taking their time to explain it to me was like an elder passing on their history. My little record button was firmly pressed.

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#59

Post by omnicognate »

jacquesm wrote: post #55
zabzonk wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_RA302 for those interested. the article seems to say it was mg skinned, which would make it even more combustible, as the skin would be thin magnesium is far from being easily machinable, so a chassis/airframe/cube made out of the pure metal is unlikely

You really don't want to use pure magnesium anywhere you can avoid it. But alloys are perfectly safe and are even permitted for airplane cabin construction. It's quite ok to machine, though it tears easily so you have to be careful on your final pass not to accidentally remove much more material than you intend to. And if it is pure magnesium you'll want to be pretty careful about your cutting speeds and coolant ;) T…

> A second RA302 was built, with slight modifications, earmarked for Surtees to drive at the 1968 Italian Grand Prix, but he again refused to drive it.

They built a car so flammable their driver refused to drive it. The driver they used in his place was then incinerated on the 2nd lap. So they built another equally flammable car and asked the first driver if maybe he'd now be up for driving it?

I'd love to have heard that conversation.

Re: Burning a NeXTCube (1993)

#60

Post by a-dub »

low_tech_love wrote: post #6

Living in Europe, I’m deeply amazed at how much help and support he got for free from a bunch of people from one of the most important (and expensive) laboratories in the world. All of that just to basically have some fun and take some pictures. I’m absolutely sure that here he would never have any support to do this. We unfortunately have forgotten how to have fun and be creative here in the old world.

it's worth noting that he was a journalist who had an existing relationship with the press office. i think it might have been a different story if he were just some random guy who decided to phone up the llnl switchboard and ask if they had a good spot to burn some shit.
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