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From: bill@persci.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.arch,net.micro,net.jokes
Subject: Re: Is this serious? (Computer/Logical Inertia)
Message-ID: <322@persci.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 5-Aug-85 11:40:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: persci.322
Posted: Mon Aug  5 11:40:37 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Aug-85 04:41:37 EDT
References: <2264@amdcad.UUCP>
Reply-To: bill@persci.UUCP (William Swan)
Organization: Personal Scientific, Woodinville WA
Lines: 48
Keywords: foolishness
Xref: linus net.arch:1450 net.micro:10119 net.jokes:11573

>[line eater...]
>Following is an excerpt from an old Apple user's group newsletter
>[...]
>			POTENTIAL PROBLEM
>			by Jerry W. Fewel
>
>	I need to take this opportunity to write a serious article on a
>subject that is of grave concern to us all. The computer stores that
>sell computers do not normally give their customers this information,
>but it is something in which all Apple owners should be aware. This is
>a problem that is indicative of all processors. This is the computer
>problem of program inertia.
>[...]	At this speed, over 800,000 instructions are being performed
>every second. It only takes about 3 seconds to build up the maximum
>amount of inertia. This is called program inertia and you can safely
>believe that this is a tremendous amount of stored energy.
>[...]	This is the main reason that manufactures have removed the
>control panels from the home processors. It was found that every time
>the halt switch was pressed the small processors would overrun from
>between 3 to 5 instructions. This is like running as fast as you can,
>and trying to stop in one step (without running into a wall).
>	Halting any computer is a tremendous strain on the memory chips
>(because of the extreme timing changes). and the power supply (because
>ofthe excess surge current).
>[...]	This leaves only the strain on the memory and we all have to
>contend with this problem manaully. It is better not to power down the
>Apple while running a program because programs reside in memory.  It
>will be much better to do a "CALL-151" first. This will put you in the
>monitor which resides in ROM. The ROMs in the Apple are especially
>designed to withstand the strain caused by the program inertia more
>than the memories.
>[...]	For more information on computer inertia, you might want to
>contact [name deleted]. He is connected with a local repair
>representative in this area and is fully aware of the hardware problem
>that can be caused.

Sort of reminds me of something I saw in Datamation, I think, about a 
decade or so back, probably in the April issue:

	...(program)...
	100 STOP			;Stop program
	    STOP
	    STOP
	    GOTO 100			;In case still skidding..

Try it out!
-- 
William Swan  {ihnp4,decvax,allegra,...}!uw-beaver!tikal!persci!bill