BABYL OPTIONS: Version:5 Append:1  1, recent,, Received: from SCRC-EUPHRATES by SCRC-YUKON with CHAOS; Wed 23-Nov-83 16:00:18-EST Return-path: Received: from SPA-NIMBUS by SCRC-TENEX with CHAOS; Wed 23-Nov-83 14:55:17-EST Received: from SPA-RUSSIAN by SPA-Nimbus with CHAOS; Wed 23-Nov-83 11:56:27-PST Date: Wednesday, 23 November 1983, 11:55-PST From: Marc Le Brun Subject: ex-Jedi boots relay computer To: fun at SPA-NIMBUS Redistributed-to: info-cobol@MC.ARPA Redistributed-by: Moon%SCRC-TENEX@MIT-MC.ARPA Redistributed-date: Wed, 23 Nov 83 15:34 EST *** EOOH *** Date: Wednesday, 23 November 1983, 11:55-PST From: Marc Le Brun Redistributed-By: Moon%SCRC-TENEX at MIT-MC.ARPA To: fun at SPA-NIMBUS Re: ex-Jedi boots relay computer Redistributed-By: Moon%SCRC-TENEX@MIT-MC.ARPA Redistributed-to: info-cobol@MC.ARPA Redistributed-date: Wed, 23 Nov 83 15:34 EST At SPA there is a defunct intercom system. It is relay switched. The prints are in German, labeled "Return to Accounting Dept". I kept it when we moved in because, well, who knows. They suggested I pay $5000 for it. I countered with and offer of $1. They accepted, but have never tried to collect. Yesterday I was showing it to the Facilities folks from Chatsworth (it's in a random closet). Several people simultaneously poked it (it's still powered and gives good "kachunk"). Somehow it went into a state where it looped in some futile sequence of rhythmical relay transitions. Something came up (a phone call no doubt) and it got left that way. Several hours later Eric couldn't stand it any longer and we went to try to shut it down. We poked more relays, and were rewarded with even noisier temporary states. We found ways to partially dismantle it, including pulling the noisy subassemblies halfway out of the frame, but to no avail. Eric found that by forcibly closing one relay it would shut up for about twenty seconds, but then it would come back to life. We couldn't find any switch, and it was too heavy to move to get to any cables behind it. Even if did manage to budge it, it would likely have toppled over on us, or dislodged the mysterious ancient hi-fi tuners hiding waiting to pounce on us from the dimness of the shelf above. The power circuitry in the bottom looked too scary to mess with, what with the spiderwebs and all. We were stumped, as it mindlessly clicked away at us. Summoning up the Force, Eric kicked it. There was a shower of copper blue sparks (just like in the movies) and it shut off! (I can see that the FPA should give him no trouble at all.) Booting has taken on an entirely new dimension here at SPA.