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Zinc Whiskers Cripple Colorado's Computers

Posted by simoniker on from the all-of-them dept.

Mr. Christmas Lights writes "While zinc whiskers, small metallic fibers which grow on surfaces that have been electroplated with zinc, aren't a problem for Christmas lights, they can cause serious problems for computers. The Denver Post reports how they caused computer outages for the last three weeks in the Colorado secretary of state's office. This basically halted business and elections document filings. Zinc whiskers are becoming more of a problem as computers electronics get smaller. NASA has a good reference site which includes a interesting PDF summary paper complete with pictures. /.'ers with computer rooms might want to check this out."

4 of 276 comments (clear)

  1. You can clean them off... by Three+Headed+Man · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...with a magnet!

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    I'm probably at the karma cap. Mod up a funny troll instead, it lightens the mood :)
  2. I WISH THERE WAS NO ZINC! by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Funny

    Zinccccccc Zinnnccccc! Oh my god what have I done!

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    I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  3. More work to do... by calags · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess we have to shave all zinc cats before we let them into the building.

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    Never attribute to stupidity what can be construed as a monopoly preservation tactic.
  4. its a new BOFH excuse for the rolodex by ErichTheWebGuy · · Score: 4, Funny


    #931654: "Sorry, our computers seem to be growing metallic whiskers. What did you say your username was? bwahahahahaha"

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    bash: rtfm: command not found