Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!emory!rsiatl!jgd
From: jgd@rsiatl.UUCP (John G. DeArmond)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Fiber Optic Sound Cables ...
Keywords: NeXT, CD (music) Player.
Message-ID: <4218@rsiatl.UUCP>
Date: 8 Oct 90 05:32:22 GMT
References: <2553@lectroid.sw.stratus.com> <10596@goofy.Apple.COM>
Organization: Radiation Systems, Inc. (a thinktank, motorcycle, car and gun works facility)
Lines: 30

mackenzi@Apple.COM (Steven MacKenzie) writes:

>My question is ... why would any one want to use fiber optic to transmit
>digital data 6 feet or so?  The difference in  error rate of fiber vs. wire 
>for such a small distance must be negligible.  Sounds like a very expensive
>solution for a non-problem.

Oh, I don't know.  Six feet is about right to keep nasty 'ole Mr. Lightning
out of the hardware goodies.  Pretty fair tradeoff, wouldn't you say.
A $5 LED sacrificing itself for a multi-kilobuck computer.

<cheap-shot alert on - I just can't pass the opportunity>

I can understand how that would not be obvious, comming from an Apple
site.  After all, according to a Mac zealot friend of mine, AppleChat
is DC coupled which reacts nicely to unbalanced neutrals in a building.
He's got smoked couples to show for it.  I wouldn't know myself, having
never touched the things.

<cheap-shot off>

:-)

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC  | We can no more blame our loss of freedom on congress
Radiation Systems, Inc. | than we can prostitution on pimps.  Both simply
Atlanta, Ga             | provide broker services for their customers.
{emory,uunet}!rsiatl!jgd|  - Dr. W Williams |                **I am the NRA**