Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 21:04:53 -0400
From: Gene Heskett <gene.heskett@verizon.net>
Subject: Re: Y2K-like bug to hit Linux computers! - Info of the day
In-reply-to: <200505142119.j4ELJRAV032512@turing-police.cc.vt.edu>
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On Saturday 14 May 2005 17:19, Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu wrote:
>On Sat, 14 May 2005 21:27:11 BST, christos gentsis said:
>> Matthew Geier wrote:
>> >  Embeded computing is much bigger than that. I've got a 20 year
>> > old embedded processor controlled microwave oven. (It still
>> > knows how to cook better than I do :-).
>>
>> why anyone that refer to an embedded device mean a microwave????
>
>Microwaves. Alarm clocks. Stereos. DVD players. Tivo units. Your
> car, most likely, unless it's *so* ancient it predates fuel
> injection (my '87 Tercel didn't have any once the radio died.  My
> '94 Camry has at least 4 that I know of).
>
>Almost anything that has a display more intelligent than wiring one
> end of an LED to ground, the other to +5V (with a 5K resistor in
> there), and using it as a "power on" indicator. This includes
> essentially all multi-segment LED and all LCD displays.
>
>We *could* itemize all these things, or just generalize to "anything
> that's at least as smart as a microwave probably has an embedded
> CPU".

Anecdotal evidence that microwave ovens aren't exactly new, or 
computerized for all their life.

I have an old Norelco thats one of the originals, a year or so newer 
than an Amana Radarange.  All 100% mechanical pushbuttons and a 
genuine electric clock timer.  Works just fine yet, probably at least 
35, maybe 40 years old.  I've turned the nylon bearing around that 
the aluminum fan blades shaft runs in, turned slowly by another small 
clock motor to 'stir' the microwaves, once.  Next time the fan blade 
starts dragging I'll have to go to my lathe and make another bearing 
and cut another new shaft I suppose.

I'd replace it, but the last time I tried that the missus wiped the 
panel down with a wet rag about a month after the warranty expired & 
that was the end of that fancy computerized panel.  This one refuses 
to die.  No use fixing what ain't broke I guess.  But I did have to 
replace the light bulb just recently, I think that was the third 
time...

Sorry, couldn't resist correcting the impression that microwaves are 
all new enough to be computerized.  Tain't so, by 25 years or more.

-- 
Cheers, Gene
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
99.34% setiathome rank, not too shabby for a WV hillbilly
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message by Gene Heskett are:
Copyright 2005 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved.
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