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From: thad@cup.portal.com (Thad P Floryan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Boing mouse
Message-ID: <24216@cup.portal.com>
Date: 19 Nov 89 07:49:46 GMT
References: <4028@ur-cc.UUCP> <13252@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> <24132@cup.portal.com>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 27

plav@cup.portal.com (Rick M Plavnicky) in <24132@cup.portal.com> comments in
a discussion about the "Boing! Mouse":

	Here's another concern.  Since the mouse is powered by the Amiga, you
	probably shouldn't detatch it without first powering down.  From the
	warranty card: "We recommend you [plug/unplug the mouse] with the power
	turned off on your Amiga."  Better safe than sorry!

Gee, do you think the stock Amiga mouse runs on batteries or sumtin'?  :-)

It, too, has IR photoemitters, photodetectors, and associated and accompanying
"glue" circuitry (powered from the Amiga over the mouse cable).

The "general" rule is: don't ever not ever plug ANYTHING into ANY system that's
powered up (even those claimed to be capable of and designed for "live
insertion" of component cards (just think what'd happen if you sneeze while
inserting a card and it drops and shorts across other circuitry)).  And weekly
I hear horror stories of people plugging printer cables, Digi-View, etc. into
a powered-up Amiga and shorting out the 8520 when the connector isn't inserted
properly and shorts against pins, connector shell, whatever.

At least one company mfgs a mouse port switching device that allows one to
safely deselect and switch to other goodies.  Similar devices exist as parallel
port and as serial port switchers.  Be safe, not sorry; do you REALLY want to
be without your Amiga while it's in the shop being repaired?

Thad Floryan [ thad@cup.portal.com (OR) ..!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!thad ]