[Gllug] printer shops

[JLMS]

On Fri, Jan 8, 2010 at 1:51 PM, Christopher Hunter <cehunter at gb-x.org>wrote:

> On Fri, 2010-01-08 at 11:22 +0000, tid wrote:
> > 2010/1/7 Rich Walker <rw at shadowrobot.com>:
> > > On 07/01/2010 01:22, JLMS wrote:
> > >
> > >> Having bought electronics stuff in several different countries (in 4
> > >> continents) I personally can't remember the last time I bought an
> > >> electronics device that accepted only one voltage. Are there still any
> like
> > >> those out there?
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > > Chang Fun mini-ITX cases.
> >
> > I had a US-based development bigshot appear in my office
> > and turn his Sun Laptop to toast in one simple move. Lots
> > of swearing about flakey limey power until we pointed out
> > his error.
> >
> > Tid
>
> Coincidentally, I had EXACTLY the same thing happen with an American
> PHB, who, despite warnings, plugged his expensive laptop straight into a
> 230V socket with a three-to-two pin adaptor (which he was convinced
> would do the voltage conversion).
>
> Smoke, flames and profanity ensued.
>
> This particular PHB lost his job quite rapidly after the destruction of
> an expensive company laptop and a rental car which he decided to drive
> at speed down the wrong side of a British road...
>
> Chris
>
>

Don't blame the user, the problem is normally with the user interface.

In the case of the plugs, you would think they would say somewhere that they
are not voltage converters, most importantly (and here I raise my hand as an
ignoramus about most things electrical) but would not a fuse in the plug
converter avoid the flamming of a laptop?

As for the car, it is a difficult one, but perahps cars could have functions
to remind people in which side of the road they should be driving (driving
becomes a quasi subconscious activity, I have seen many people driving
either left or right when thy should have sayed in the opposite side of the
road).
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