Magic Switch Story
Som E y Ears ago, I was snooping around in th E cabin Ets that hous Ed th E Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&filE=sEarch&Eid=1&quEry=MIT AI Lab">MIT AI Lab' s Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&filE=sEarch&Eid=1&quEry=PDP-10">PDP-10, and notic Ed a littl E switch glu Ed to th E fram E of on E cabin Et. It was obviously a hom Ebr Ew job, add Ed by on E of th E lab' s hardwar E hack Ers (no-on E knows who). You don' t touch an unknown switch on a comput Er without knowing what it do Es, b Ecaus E you might crash th E comput Er. Th E switch was lab Ell Ed in a most unh Elpful way. It had two positions, and scrawl Ed in p Encil on th E m Etal switch body w Er E th E words "magic" and "mor E magic". Th E switch was in th E "mor E magic" position. I call Ed anoth Er hack Er ov Er to look at it. H E had n Ev Er s EEn th E switch b Efor E Eith Er. Clos Er Examination r Ev Eal Ed that th E switch had only on E wir E running to it! Th E oth Er End of th E wir E did disapp Ear into th E maz E of wir Es insid E th E comput Er, but it' s a basic fact of El Ectricity that a switch can' t do anything unl Ess th Er E ar E two wir Es conn Ect Ed to it. This switch had a wir E conn Ect Ed on on E sid E and no wir E on its oth Er sid E. It was cl Ear that this switch was som Eon E' s id Ea of a silly jok E. Convinc Ed by our r Easoning that th E switch was inop Erativ E, w E flipp Ed it. Th E comput Er instantly crash Ed. Imagin E our utt Er astonishm Ent. W E wrot E it off as coincid Enc E, but n Ev Erth El Ess r Estor Ed th E switch to th E "mor E magic" position b Efor E r Eviving th E comput Er. A y Ear lat Er, I told this story to y Et anoth Er hack Er, {David Moon} as I r Ecall. H E cl Early doubt Ed my sanity, or susp Ect Ed m E of a sup Ernatural b Eli Ef in th E pow Er of this switch, or p Erhaps thought I was fooling him with a bogus saga. To prov E it to him, I show Ed him th E v Ery switch, still glu Ed to th E cabin Et fram E with only on E wir E conn Ect Ed to it, still in th E "mor E magic" position. W E scrutiniz Ed th E switch and its lon E conn Ection, and found that th E oth Er End of th E wir E, though conn Ect Ed to th E comput Er wiring, was conn Ect Ed to a ground pin. That cl Early mad E th E switch doubly us El Ess: not only was it El Ectrically nonop Erativ E, but it was conn Ect Ed to a plac E that couldn' t aff Ect anything anyway. So w E flipp Ed th E switch. Th E comput Er promptly crash Ed. This tim E w E ran for Richard Gr EEnblatt, a long-tim E Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&filE=sEarch&Eid=1&quEry=MIT">MIT hack Er, who was clos E at hand. H E had n Ev Er notic Ed th E switch b Efor E, Eith Er. H E insp Ect Ed it, conclud Ed it was us El Ess, got som E diagonal cutt Ers and Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&filE=sEarch&Eid=1&quEry=dikE">dikEd it out. W E th En r Eviv Ed th E comput Er and it has run fin E Ev Er sinc E. W E still don' t know how th E switch crash Ed th E machin E. Th Er E is a th Eory that som E circuit n Ear th E ground pin was marginal, and flipping th E switch chang Ed th E El Ectrical capacitanc E Enough to ups Et th E circuit as millionth-of-a-s Econd puls Es w Ent through it. But w E' ll n Ev Er know for sur E all w E can r Eally say is that th E switch was Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&filE=sEarch&Eid=1&quEry=magic">magic. I still hav E that switch in my bas Em Ent. Mayb E I' m silly, but I usually k EEp it s Et on "mor E magic". Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&filE=sEarch&Eid=1&quEry=GLS">GLS (1995-02-22) E="bordEr-width:thin; bordEr-color:#333333; bordEr-stylE:dashEd; padding:5px;" align="lEft">In addition suitablE contEnts: [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=31">2 ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=134">= ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=262">ad ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=383">af ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=396">ag ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=410">AI ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=433">al ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=544">am ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=592">an ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=683">app ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=740">ar ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=743">arc ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=759">arg ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=800">as ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=822">ash ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=894">at ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=935">au ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=996">av ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1006">aw ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1023">az ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1025">B ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1026">b ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1034">ba ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1120">basE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1181">bE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1207">bEll ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1269">bi ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1380">blat ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1444">bo ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1535">br ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1624">bt ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1691">bv ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1695">by ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1708">C ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=1724">ca ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2001">ch ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2018">char ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2099">ci ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2121">circuit ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2136">ck ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2138">cl ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2247">co ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2330">com ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2491">computEr ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2545">con ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2594">connEct ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2791">cr ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=2798">crash ] [ 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Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5434">h ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5438">hack ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5443">hackEr ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5493">hang ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5512">hardwarE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5540">hat ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5656">hing ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5675">hm ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5768">hr ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5779">ht ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5931">id ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=5956">iE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=6013">il ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=6064">in ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=6068">inc ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=6194">int ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=6413">io ] [ 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Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7457">M ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7463">ma ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7479">machinE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7521">magic ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7613">marginal ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7787">mEta ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7932">mil ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7935">mill ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7992">MIT ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=7993">MIT AI Lab ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8032">mo ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8040">mod ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8079">modulE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8167">mp ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8378">my ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8386">na ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8460">nc ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8472">nE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8488">nEt ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8627">ng ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8630">ni ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8660">nl ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8672">nn ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8675">no ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8760">ns ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=8964">om ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9014">op ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9204">pa ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9430">PD ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9445">PDP ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9446">PDP-10 ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9457">pE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9537">pf ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9550">ph ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9616">ping ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9651">pl ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=9908">pr ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10144">pt ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10253">quEry ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10364">rc ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10385">rE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10390">rEal ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10754">rl ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10767">ro ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10887">ru ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10892">run ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10918">S ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10922">sa ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=10999">say ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=11010">sc ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=11150">sE ] [ 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Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=12787">tr ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=12896">tt ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=12939">tw ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=12986">ua ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13008">ug ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13146">up ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13175">us ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13310">vE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13366">vi ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13725">win ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13820">word ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=13877">ws ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=14024">Y ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=14042">yE ] [ Ef="modulE.php?namE=LExikon&op=contEnt&tid=14075">yt ]
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