COMPUTERS AND MAGNETS
by Editor, SLKUG, July 1987

(Magnets near computers can create sad problems)

A recently hired steno was duly to operate the desk-top computer
and the word processor with it.  She had been assigned to work in
this nice office cubicle with sound absorbent walls and tidy-
looking metal posts, and a carpeted floor.  Really nice.  After
about a week, she reported to her supervisor that she had a
defective batch of floppy disks.  Wanting to investigate before
complaining, her supervisor looked at the workplace.  She was
asked how she worked with the disks, and she responded that she
wanted to make sure that they wouldn't get damaged when they were
out of the computer so she hung them up on the wall out of harm's
way or so she said.  The problem was that she chose to hang them
up on the metal post with kitchen magnets she had brought from
home for the purpose!  The magnets were wiping out the data on
the disks!  It is safe to assume that the trainers now include a
comment about NOT HANGING UP FLOPPY DISKS WITH MAGNETS.

ALSO RELATED TO MAGNETIC PERSONALITIES

I messed up a disk a few years ago by a paper clip.  No, I didn't
paper-clip a disk to correspondence.  This clip was UNDER three
layers of paper on my desk at home.  It had been magnetized by
the magnetic paper clip dispenser.  Needless to say, I no longer
have that paper clip holder, nor do I use paper clips around my
computer or floppy disks.

MORAL OF THE TALE:  Keep magnets away from your computer.  This
includes speakers in radios and tape recorders.  Your monitor
could be radiating enough to damage a disk, too.  Of course, the
metal cabinet Kaypro models are well shielded and the metal will
protect your disks, but the PCs with the external monitor may not
be perfectly shielded.  Can you afford to lose data?  And then
there are the paper clips.  If you must use paper clips, use
those which are all-plastic, not just plastic covered.  The wire
may have been magnetized.  Keep paper clips away from your disks
unless you enjoy suffering the woes of lost data files. 

REMEMBER, THE DATA YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN.
