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From: patc@tekcrl.UUCP (Pat Caudill)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Re: Computer Horror Stories
Message-ID: <551@tekcrl.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 2-Mar-86 11:43:57 EST
Article-I.D.: tekcrl.551
Posted: Sun Mar  2 11:43:57 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Mar-86 04:04:13 EST
References: <14700001@hplabsb.UUCP> <12121@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Reply-To: patc@tekcrl.UUCP (Pat Caudill)
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 22
Summary: computer drops a load


	The one I like is about the bank in NYC that bought one of
the first Burroughs (tube) computers. It was to be installed on the
tenth floor and they had to knock a big hole in the wall to get the
four ton monster through. Unfortunatly the delivery company knocked
it off the pallet while manuvering it through the hole and it landed
in the street. Jingle Dingles every where, I think they canceled the
warrenty. 
	Also the RCA plant in Ft. Lauderdale had a contractor (working
on the weekend) switch the ground return/ and earth neutral lines with
two hot lines from the 3 phase power. after they left the computer
power supply shorted and the arcking melted it through the raised floor.
a small disaster. However the teflon insulation reacted with the hot
(molten) metal to form HF gas. When the fire department turend on the
sprinklers in desperation hydrofloric acid. The real problem wasnt
realised for several days untill stuff started falling apart. They
had to completely disassemble every computer being built or tested
(about 40 big systems) and wash them and re build. I understand they
got a wanderwand car wash system in the parking lot and ran the
mainframes thorough that. Then tested everything with litmus paper.

			Tektronix!tekcrl!patc