Alan Cox's Exploding Laptop

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Posted by ryuzaki0 on Saturday September 23, 2006 @06:26PM from the a-famous-exploding-laptop dept.

Bowie J. Poag writes to mention a page put up to commemorate the explosion of Alan Cox's laptop. From the article: "Alan was on the other side of the room from the laptop. I was elsewhere. He yelled out, I ambled towards the room in my own good time, and then I heard 'Fire! Real fire! Call the fire brigade, now!' and I speeded up a bit. From Alan subsequently, I gather there was an explosion and flying pieces of laptop, and a fireball, and a couple of fires started where (presumably) boiling battery landed, and one fragment smashed an LCD monitor. And then there was smoke and smell (there is still smell) and smoke alarm wailing and firemen and sirens and paramedics (happily unneeded) and police and a man with a notebook asking questions for the fire report.'"

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His own fault... by Pink+Tinkletini · 2006-09-23 18:31 · Score: 5, Funny

...for buying an IBM ThinkPad, notorious for their unreliability. Perhaps he should have considered an Apple or Dell instead.

--
And now, a PSA from David Lynch.
1. Re:His own fault... by phasm42 · 2006-09-23 19:01 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Time to adjust your sarcasm detector.
  
  --
  "No one likes working in a hamster wheel, and your shop smells of cedar shavings from here." - TaleSpinner
2. Re:His own fault... by Firehed · 2006-09-23 20:00 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Let me rephrase that for you:
  
  *woosh*
  
  --
  How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
3. Re:His own fault... by pchan- · 2006-09-23 21:06 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Think of this as a learning experience If Linux had implemented BeOS's is_computer_on_fire()* system call, he would have been able to log the situation, send an email to his friend to alert the authorities, and shut down cleanly.
  
  *Yes, it's actually in the OS.
4. Re:His own fault... by ozmanjusri · 2006-09-24 03:51 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  carefully taking his nokia-phone/ebay-battery out of his pocket and further away from his valuable parts.
  Just to clarify, this being Slashdot, the "valuable parts" being referred to are his PDA, and extensive collection of Star Trek trading cards.
  
  --
  "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
Then the insurance guy says... by __aaclcg7560 · 2006-09-23 18:31 · Score: 5, Funny

"What? Exploding laptop and you're running linux? Oh, we don't cover that."
Re:Epidemic? by DustyShadow · 2006-09-23 18:46 · Score: 5, Funny

Is that why there is a "Made for Windows XP" sticker on it?
IBM Tech Support by spoonboy42 · 2006-09-23 19:30 · Score: 4, Funny

We regret to inform you, Mr. Cox, that since you were operating with an unsupported software configuration (i.e. Linux) we can not offer you support in regards to your issue (spontaneous incendiary explosion). Thank you for purchasing an IBM thinkpad.

Sincerely,
IBM Tech Support

--
Anonymous Luddite: "What do you think of the dehumanizing effects of the Internet?"
Andy Grove: "Not Much."
Re:Alan Cox... by ozmanjusri · 2006-09-23 19:42 · Score: 4, Funny

Just to continue the karma-whoring trend, I'll post a transcript of the actual conversation so you don't have to RTFA
Cox: What happen ?
Telsa: Somebody set up us the bomb.

Telsa: We get fire.
Cox: What !
Telsa: Main screen lit up.
Cox: It's you !!
MS: How are you gentlemen !!
MS: All your codebase are belong to us.

--
"I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
Heh. by Square+Snow+Man · 2006-09-23 19:44 · Score: 5, Funny

Coming Soon Laptops On A Plane!
Re:Laptop? by OldManAndTheC++ · 2006-09-23 19:46 · Score: 5, Funny

they aren't designed to be used on laps or any other surface

Drat. Now I'll have to go shopping for a surface-less table. Perhaps "Klein Bottles-R-Us" has what I need...

--
Soylent Green is peoplicious!
Re:I was worried for a sec... by mwanaheri · 2006-09-23 19:49 · Score: 5, Funny

I am worried. 'real fire'? How virtual must your reality be to shout 'real fire'?

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Idha khatabahum lijahiluna qalu salaman
"unexploded" batteries by D4C5CE · 2006-09-23 19:57 · Score: 4, Funny

I also took the other two unexploded battery cells out
Now that's one nice word they've come up with, to distinguish the two categories of battery found in laptops. ;-)