----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark E. Skeels" <meskeels@earthlink.net>
Subject: [OT] The HP I miss...


> I got to sit with the tech as he went through the scope; it was really
cool.

Years and years ago, I had an HP computer.  This thing was a beast full of
huge circuit boards, perhaps 10x12" or so, each one just chock full of
goodies.

One time our building was struck by lightning an the plotter quit working.
I don't recall exactly how, but I isolated the problem to the plotter
interface card.

Well, the HP tech shows up, spreads this huge schematic out that covered the
whole table, spent just a few minutes on it and says "it has to be that
transistor right there".  Pops out the board, solders in a new transistor,
and we were on our way.  I was impressed!

Can you imagine any tech doing component level repair of anything on the
customer site these days?   Most of the time you are lucky if they can
recognize the device, let alone the boards in it.

--McD


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