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Re: [Fwd: Virus Alert]



>>>>> "Rob" == Rob Browning <osiris@cs.utexas.edu> writes:

Rob> eck@sc10.dseg.ti.com (Terry Eck) writes:

Rob> Well, I'd like to see the code for the infinite loop that'd melt
Rob> down my processor.  I've written a few in my time (accidentally),
Rob> and the machine's still here.

Well, lucky you. :-)

The issue of destroying a computer through software was once (probably
has been several times) discussed on alt.folklore.computers. 

It is (or rather was) possible, but only in one known case. I do not
remember many details, but some old microcomputer (Commodore of some
sort I believe) allowed you to flip a bit in a register on the video
chip that would cause power to build up somewhere until the chip
eventually died.


---------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
Christian Lynbech          | Computer Science Department, University of Aarhus
Office: R0.32              | Ny Munkegade, Building 540, DK-8000 Aarhus C
Phone: +45 8942 3218       | lynbech@daimi.aau.dk -- www.daimi.aau.dk/~lynbech
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Hit the philistines three times over the head with the Elisp reference manual.
                                        - petonic@hal.com (Michael A. Petonic)



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