pap@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Paul Andrew Pritchard) (07/26/89)
I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. It seems to me the best plan is to put the Mac in one of those commercially-available padded carry bags and take it as hand baggage. I'd like to hear of anyone's experiences with this. (The airline is Continental.) Thanks.
creemer@catalonia.sw.mcc.com (David Creemer) (07/26/89)
In article <30351@cornell.UUCP>, pap@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Paul Andrew Pritchard) writes: > I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking > my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. It seems to me the best plan is to > put the Mac in one of those commercially-available padded carry bags > and take it as hand baggage. I'd like to hear of anyone's experiences > with this. (The airline is Continental.) Thanks. Before I traded up to a Mac II, I flew many times between NY and Dallas with my Mac Plus. I had "one of those commercially-available padded carry bags" which worked just fine, but with one small (actually large) problem: It was about 1 inch too tall to fit under the seat. It was also too large to fit in an overhead compartment. This led to an interesting scenario, which repeated, *almost to the word* on every flight I took. First, I call American Airlines, (or People's Express <- this was a few years ago :-) ) or whomever, give them the dimensions of the bag, they put that into some screwy formula and respong with "Yes, Mr. Creemer, that bag will fit just fine. Thank-you for choosing X airlines." I get to the plane, and sure enough, it *doesn't* fit. The stewardess then instructs me that she'll have to *check* my computer. Right. Anything you say, lady. So I put up a small fuss, we check to overhead compartment (it doesn't fit), and then we try an bulkhead seat (still no luck). "I'm sorry sir, but I'm going to have to check it!" It then becomes necessary to pull an old computer science trick, which should work for any field known to be populated by the occaisional "mad scientist type." I respond with, "You can't check this! This... this... this is *my computer*! I have to be with my computer at all times!" You get the idea. The thing winds up stored in the stewardess' luggage compartment, and everyone is happy. Works like a charm everytime. The lesson here, of course, is to make sure the bag is thin enough to fit the Mac under a seat, but thick enough to protect it. I suggest taking your Mac to the airport (we should all take our Mac's out every now and again) and trying one of those "your bag should fit in this box to fit under the seat" boxes. Good luck, and cheers! David Creemer MCC Software Technology Program 9390 Research, Kaleido II Bldg., Austin, Texas 78759 (512) 338-3403 creemer@sw.mcc.com davidz@cs.utexas.edu
jallred@bbn.com (John Allred) (07/27/89)
In article <2685@catalonia.sw.mcc.com> creemer@catalonia.sw.mcc.com (David Creemer) writes: >Before I traded up to a Mac II, I flew many times between NY and Dallas with >my Mac Plus. I had "one of those commercially-available padded carry bags" >which worked just fine, but with one small (actually large) problem: It was >about 1 inch too tall to fit under the seat. It was also too large to fit >in an overhead compartment. This led to an interesting scenario, which >repeated, *almost to the word* on every flight I took. My SE fit just fine in the overhead compartment of a United DC-10, and the old 512 fit in the overhead bin of a Northwest 727. However, I have yet to see a space under the seat that would accept a mac. Airlines order semi-custom interiors for their aircraft, so a mac may not fit in, say, an American Airlines DC-10 overhead bin. ____ John Allred BBN Advanced Simulation (jallred@bbn.com) "Walkies!" -- B. Woodhouse
roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) (07/27/89)
In <30351@cornell.UUCP>, pap@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Paul Andrew Pritchard) says: > I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking > my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. You might want to ensure that you have a bootable system on your hard disk. I've heard stories about the security types insisting on your booting your system to prove that it really is a computer and not a bomb that looks like a computer. -- Roy Smith, Public Health Research Institute 455 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016 {att,philabs,cmcl2,rutgers,hombre}!phri!roy -or- roy@alanine.phri.nyu.edu "The connector is the network"
mjkobb@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Michael J Kobb) (07/27/89)
In article <30351@cornell.UUCP> pap@cs.cornell.edu (Paul Pritchard) writes: >I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking >my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. It seems to me the best plan is to >put the Mac in one of those commercially-available padded carry bags >and take it as hand baggage. I'd like to hear of anyone's experiences >with this. (The airline is Continental.) Thanks. I've taken a Mac with me on Continental many times, and there are just a few precautions to take (Disclaimer: I've never tried going overseas; Customs may give you some sort of hassle with that...). Be sure your hard drive is backed-up and parked. Put the yellow shipping dummy-disk that came in your floppy drive in, to protect the heads from jostling damage. TAKE YOUR CABLES with you, in the same bag or in an easily accessible bag. I have had the airlines ask me to plug in the Mac and turn it on to demonstrate that it works and isn't just a box jam-packed w/explosives or something. (Of course, you may then have to re-park your drive). Check with someone about customs, though! --Mike Kobb
rpbert@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Raymond Pierrehumbert) (07/27/89)
In article <30351@cornell.UUCP>, pap@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (Paul Andrew Pritchard) writes: > I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking > my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. It seems to me the best plan is to > put the Mac in one of those commercially-available padded carry bags > and take it as hand baggage. I'd like to hear of anyone's experiences > with this. (The airline is Continental.) Thanks. I haven't carried on my Mac, but I know many people who have done it successfully. The problem is it's a big risk. In the soft-case it doesn't fit under the seat of any airline I've been on. It fits in some overhead compartments, but not others, and there is always the risk that someone has gotten there first. Also it is too heavy for the ratings of some overheads (the swing-down types) and the airlines may stop you. Also, airlines are nervous about electronic equipment now (hidden bomb problems, and they don't mean the System types!), so they may ask you to prove that it really works (so bring a System disk). Problem is, what do you do if they won't let you take it carry-on? if you check it, it will surely be destroyed. When I went to Sweden, I got one of the specially made plywood and aluminum foam padded shipping cases, and put it in a checked baggage. There was room for my external Jasmine disk and cables in there too. Case costs about $200 from ATS cases, but there are many other sources. Check MacUser, e.g. Main problem is, the case weighs in at about 20lb, so the whole deal comes up to about 60-70 lb. Quite an armful, especially if you are travelling with children also. It all depends on how risk-averse you are.
levin@bbn.com (Joel B Levin) (07/27/89)
In article <3903@phri.UUCP> roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) writes: | You might want to ensure that you have a bootable system on your |hard disk. I've heard stories about the security types insisting on your |booting your system to prove that it really is a computer and not a bomb |that looks like a computer. Make sure it is still working just before you leave. How do you think the security types will like it if you get a BOMB alert after you turn on your machine? :-) = UUCP: levin@bbn.com (new) or {backbone}!bbn!levin (old) INTERNET: levin@bbn.com POTS: (617) 873-3463 "The night was"
cantrell@Alliant.COM (Paul Cantrell) (07/27/89)
Re: the whole discussion about where to stow the Mac while on a commercial flight. I have mixed feelings about this practice. On the one hand, I would NEVER check the Mac as luggage. The chances of it getting broken are too high. However, the overhead bin is supposed to be for hats/coats/etc. Putting heavy items overhead (like everybody does - and not just computers) is dangerous in the case of an accident or hard landing. I was in an airplane which made a rather hard landing at Boston's Logan Airport. Nothing too unusual, the pilot just screwed up a little, and we dropped the final 4 feet onto the runway. EVERYTHING in the overhead bins went flying. There were coats, pillows, etc. all over the cabin. (Most of the oxygen masks came down as well). People were screaming, etc... My point is that a personal computer in a situation such as this would turn into a potentially lethal projectile. If it went sailing like some of those pillows did, it would probably crush the person's skull that it hit. (It probably wouldn't do the Mac much good either...) The best place to stow the Mac would either be in one of the storage closets in the passenger cabin, or else on the floor next to your feet, if you can get the stewardess to ignore that it isn't stowed below the seat (if you have a window seat this is probably likely, otherwise they legitimately are concerned about it blocking someone from getting out of the plane...) Next time you see someone forcing a large, heavy, hard object into the overhead bin, think about what that object is going to do to you when it hits you going 60mph... PC
wb1j+@andrew.cmu.edu (William M. Bumgarner) (07/27/89)
I have carried my mac (plus w/Jasmine 80) to/from both coasts and several
places in between.
My suggestion for anyone who wants to undergo this living hell: Buy one of
Zero Corp's aluminum carrying case and ship the damn thing!
Stowing the Mac once on board:
a; perfect situation-- overhead compartment will take the Mac in the case with
the hard drive. This has happened ONCE!
b; almost perfect situation-- won't fit in overhead, so stuff it under seat.
Now that it is there, where do I put my feet?? Not too comfortable, but not
too bad.
c; almost perfect situation-- the stewardess/steward is being nice and allows
me to stuff the mac in the garment closet. The problem with this is getting
it OUT! Most of the closets are cramped. This happens rarely-- most
airlines require that all bags in that compartment be hanging. FINE hang it
by the shoulder strap-- nope, it must have a clothes hanger. I'm tempted to
attach a wooden clothes hanger to the top of my Mac bag.
d; bad situation-- Mac won't go in any of above. Unpack mac and throw in over
head compartment (w/less than an inch of clearance for the interrupt/reset
switch and the rest of the case). Provides no protection-- I have had a
very sticky mess on the mac when someones bag had a childrens drink glass of
grape juice in it that wasn't very spill proof. The bag gets folded (which
it doesn't want to do) and stuffed under my seat-- with the hard drive,
mouse, mouse pad, etc. in it.
e; bad in a different way situation-- Mac and bag get shoved into an empty
row of seats on the floor-- this takes a considerable amount of muscle power
to place/remove the mac & case.
f; worst case situation-- Mac won't fit anywhere. Has to be shipped through.
Arrives damaged at best, and completely fried at worst-- the carrying case
will invaribly have some new and disgusting stain on it. I have watched the
tarmac workers carefully THROW my mac onto the loading ramp and have watched
it gracefully SLIDE down and gently SLAM into the carousel wall.
Airport Security:
a; good-- 'hmm, a computer, ok. go through'
b; pretty good-- hand check
c; OK and amusing-- XRay mac, hand check hard drive ('gee, what is this
thing?')
d; OK and annoying-- XRay mac, hand check hard drive and have to turn it on.
them: but it doesn't do anything.
me: I told you that before I plugged it in.
them: what is it?
me: a hard drive for a computer.
them: Huh?
me: think of it as a gigantic floppy disk in a steel case.
them: oh.
e; RF annoying-- hook up complete system and power up.
f; down right infuriating-- "I'm sorry, sir, but we have to XRay the hard
drive".
me: nope, no can do. I know people who have lost information to the xray
machines.
them: it's only low energy xrays, it won't hurt it.
me: I know that, but the belt motors WILL hurt it.
them: no, the motors are in the bottom.
me: I don't care where they are, I know people who have had hard drives
corrupted due to xray machines, and I don't want to risk the data on my
drive. I am a programmer, and I have software on that drive that I
can't afford to lose. I simply cannot and will not risk it.
them: well, I guess I'll have to call security.
me: fine.
<35 minutes later; head of airline security shows up>
them: ok, what is it?
me: <standard routine: it is a hard drive for blah blah blah>
them: ok, <fills out a form> sign here and write here the description of
the device.
me: fine.
the form basically states that the airline is aware that there is a strange or
unidentified object on the concourse and airplane, but that, if anything
happens to the airplane (explodes, crashes, etc), I take partial or full
responsibility for this occurence-- I figured that sense I would probably
be DEAD if anything happened, it was a fairly safe bet. (It wasn't worded
quite that harshly, but that was the basic gist of the paperwork).
I have also had them:
- ask me to plug the hard drive in and showed me to a 220volt socket.
- same but a dead and obviously burned up socket
- same but unplugged the xray machine so I could plug in the drive
- same but then forget to check the mac bag, my CD player or the bag of CDs
I usually carry with me
What fun!
b.bum
wb1j+@andrew.cmu.eduwb1j+@andrew.cmu.edu (William M. Bumgarner) (07/27/89)
It has always amused me that the airlines require you to turn on the mac to make sure it isn't a bomb. Gee. that really proves a lot, doesn't it. Consider this: Every mac in the non-modular series (including the SE/30) has had room for 1 or 2 internal hard drives mounted in various different ways other than the original apple mountings. If a person put that much plastique into the case, and was at least bright enough not to connect it to the Mac's power supply, it would definitely take out the plane. Remember the bomb that punched a large hole in the side of a plane-- that was a wallet or cigarrette sized bomb. Also, there is talk that the airlines are going to prohibit ALL electronic devices from the passenger area AND/OR cargo hold. bad deal. b.bum wb1j+@andrew.cmu.edu
bwolf@hpbbm.HP.COM (Bryan Wolf) (07/27/89)
In response to your query about taking the Mac as carry-on luggage: I have travelled with my stock Plus many times on airplanes. I carry it in a soft-shell type standard carrying case. I usually manage to stuff it (barely) into an overhead bin; I don't think that I've ever been able to get it under the seat. If the steward-persons were hip, I was able to get it stored in one of the little closets at the back or in the middle of the plane. I have never had any kind of problem or complaint trying to get it on a plane. Caveat regarding your data: NEVER (EVER EVER!) put your floppies through the X-ray thingie you have to walk through at security; they will hand examine floppies, and seem to have gotten used to such objects passing through. Back up your HD, just to be safe (I've never lost data, but I've never flown through London, and security varies from airport to airport), and be prepared to plug your machine in and turn it on to prove that it's not filled with plastic explosives. Other than that, you shouldn't have any problems. Happy travelling !! Bryan bwolf@hpbbm
jnh@ecemwl.ncsu.edu (Joseph N. Hall) (07/27/89)
In article <362@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> mjkobb@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Michael J Kobb) writes: >In article <30351@cornell.UUCP> pap@cs.cornell.edu (Paul Pritchard) writes: >>I'm flying NY (alright, Newark) to London soon, and will be taking >>my Mac (SE/30 HD40) with me. It seems to me the best plan is to ... >Check with someone about customs, though! Customs is a funny business. You can get into an awkward spot because if you look like an average middle-class US/European citizen, you generally won't be subjected to any real scrutiny (hand inspections, detailed questioning, etc.) as you travel around Europe ... HOWEVER, sometimes you will get singled out for some reason or another. Europeans, who pay up to twice for Macs what Americans do, are more than willing to believe that people in America will try to smuggle them to their friends there. It's your job to convince customs officials that the Mac you're carrying is YOUR Mac, it's USED, and you DON'T want to sell it. Theoretically you can be required to post a bond, in each country you visit, for the amount of duty that would be imposed on the item were you to sell it there. This is the only sure-fire mechanism for avoiding customs hassles completely. If you want to post bonds (do this well in advance of your travel), contact the appropriate consulate(s) and get the required forms. (Don't forget your visa if you're going to France, either...) On the other hand, if you don't bring anything that doesn't look a little used, and if you have some sort of indication that this is a personal item you would have no reason to sell overseas, or that you're a reputable person and understand why you shouldn't sell it (fines + jail, perhaps), you should have no problems traveling through Europe with computers, cameras, jewelry, whatnot. This does NOT apply, by the way, to less-developed countries. If you're bringing any significant amount of electronic equipment or other valuables into, say, Jamaica, it's worth your while to post a bond for the duty. It's a lot less frustrating than haggling with local customs officials, who are rightfully suspicious of anyone carrying in more than a camera and a pocket calculator. -joseph -jnh@ecemwl.ncsu.edu -joseph@ece007.ncsu.edu
haysb@tramp.Colorado.EDU (HAYS BOYD) (07/27/89)
I travel between Denver and Los Angeles every few weeks carrying a MAC SE/30 in exactly the type of bag that you suggest. I have always been able to take the machine on as cary-on luggage but there are a few things I'd suggest. 1) Check the rest of your baggage. The airline staff are usually willing to help you if you're not carrying a ton of junk. 2) Do what you can to get on the plane early. This means one of the following: sit in first class, travel a lot to become a prefered customer on that airline (this allows you to early board), request a seat at the rear of the plane as planes are generally boarded from the rear first. (Also from what I've read there is a high survivor rate of passengers seated in the back :-). By getting on early you'll be able to ask for help if the Mac doesn't fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment. 3) Use one of the padded bags that doesn't have any extra pockets. You want the smallest bag possible. 4) If you intend to travel with your Mac purchase a cart with which to drag it. My favorite is called the "Concorde II", I forget the manufacturer's name buy any luggage store should carry them. 5) Most importantly, treat the personnel with respect and courtesy and they'll respond in kind. It is important to arrive a little early as you'll need to "hand-check" your machine at the x-ray machine. The staff will ask you to set-up the machine and power it up. DO NOT SEND YOUR MAC OR ANY FLOPPIES THROUGH THE X-RAY MACHINE. There has only been one instance (out of about 20) where my machine did not fit under the seat and I think it would have if I hadn't been using a big-fat bag. However, almost all of my experience has been on United Airlines. Last week I sat next to the bulkhead (there is no seat in front of you) and asked the stewardess to help me find a place to stash my Mac. I took her suggestion and tried the overhead compartment. Suprisingly it fit with about an inch of clearance. Your mileage may vary, however. There at least three companies that I've seen advertise luggage in which your Mac could be packed and checked. Of those that I've seen I'm familiar with a company in the Los Angeles area named "Zero Haliburton". They make those aluminum briefcases that have recently become popular. Generally, I've found their cases to be sturdy. (They are the cases you often see camera equipment shipped in.) I still prefer to carry my machine on board. Good Luck, Boyd Hays
gford@nunki.usc.edu (Gregory Ford) (07/28/89)
Joseph Hall of North Carolina State University recently posted a message about carrying your mac to France, and thus the need for a French Visa. That requirement was axed about a month ago. No need for Visas to France. ******************************************************************************* * Greg Ford GEnie: G.FORD3 * * University of Southern California Internet: gford%nunki.usc.edu@usc.edu * *******************************************************************************
ckd@bucsb.UUCP (Christopher Davis) (07/28/89)
In article <43346@bbn.COM> jallred@vax.bbn.com (John Allred) writes: -In article <2685@catalonia.sw.mcc.com> creemer@catalonia.sw.mcc.com (David Creemer) writes: ->Before I traded up to a Mac II, I flew many times between NY and Dallas with ->my Mac Plus. I had "one of those commercially-available padded carry bags" ->which worked just fine, but with one small (actually large) problem: It was ->about 1 inch too tall to fit under the seat. It was also too large to fit ->in an overhead compartment. This led to an interesting scenario, which ->repeated, *almost to the word* on every flight I took. - -My SE fit just fine in the overhead compartment of a United DC-10, and the -old 512 fit in the overhead bin of a Northwest 727. However, I have yet -to see a space under the seat that would accept a mac. - -Airlines order semi-custom interiors for their aircraft, so a mac -may not fit in, say, an American Airlines DC-10 overhead bin. My Plus fit fine (barely--there was probably not more than an inch of clearance in any dimension) under a Northwest DC-10 seat, and fit in a 727/757 overhead bin (also NWA) without trouble. Of course, that was before I got the extended keyboard.... -John Allred -BBN Advanced Simulation -(jallred@bbn.com) -- /\ | / |\ @bu-pub.bu.edu <preferred> | Christopher K. Davis, BU SMG '90 / |/ | \ %bu-pub.bu.edu@bu-it.bu.edu | uses standardDisclaimer; \ |\ | / <for stupid sendmails> | BITNET: smghy6c@buacca \/ | \ |/ @bucsb.UUCP <last resort> or ...!bu-cs!bucsb!ckd if you gotta. --"Ignore the man behind the curtain and the address in the header." --ckd--
holla@eedsp.gatech.edu (Craig Hollabaugh) (07/28/89)
> DO NOT SEND YOUR MAC OR ANY FLOPPIES THROUGH THE X-RAY MACHINE.
have you or anybody had problems in this area?
Craig Hollabaugh
Georgia Tech, School of Electrical Engineering, Atlanta, GA 30332
INTERNET: holla@eedsp.gatech.edumjkobb@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Michael J Kobb) (07/28/89)
In article <kYnlnpG00iUyQ0a4Zq@andrew.cmu.edu> wb1j+@andrew.cmu.edu (William M. Bumgarner) writes: >It has always amused me that the airlines require you to turn on the mac to >make sure it isn't a bomb. > other than the original apple mountings. If a person put that much > plastique into the case, and was at least bright enough not to connect it > to the Mac's power supply, it would definitely take out the plane. I thought of this too. For heaven's sake, DON'T TELL THE AIRLINES!!! Don't even mention it within earshot of airport security. At best they'll think about it and get worried. At worst, they will think you actually did it since nobody would give so much thought to it if he wasn't going to do it. :-) We don't want the bad news of no electronic carryons to come true. --Mike
kaufman@polya.Stanford.EDU (Marc T. Kaufman) (07/28/89)
In article <420009@hpbbm.HP.COM> bwolf@hpbbm.HP.COM (Bryan Wolf) writes: >Caveat regarding your data: NEVER (EVER EVER!) put your >floppies through the X-ray thingie you have to walk through at >security;... This has GOT to be on the way to becomming a new Urban Legend. First, there are no X-rays emitted by the metal detector. Second, the electric field set up by the detector coils is far too weak to erase a disk or tape. There is no appreciable magnetic field, and anyway, magnetic fields attenuate as the FOURTH power of distance. Now, having said that -- maybe I am just showing my ignorance since I have never had any problems. Are there any DOCUMENTED instances of disk erasure by the walk-through metal detectors? (any reply that starts out "my friend knows someone who..." will immediately be discounted as an Urban Legend). Marc Kaufman (kaufman@polya.stanford.edu)
jordan@Morgan.COM (Jordan Hayes) (07/29/89)
Michael J Kobb <mjkobb@media-lab.media.mit.edu> writes:
Be sure your hard drive is backed-up and parked.
~~~~~~
Uh, I thought that most SCSI disks automatically retract the heads on
power-down ... i've never seen a way to "park" a Mac hard drive.
/jordankent@sunfs3.camex.uucp (Kent Borg) (07/29/89)
In article <346@eedsp.gatech.edu> holla@eedsp.gatech.edu (Craig Hollabaugh) writes: > >> DO NOT SEND YOUR MAC OR ANY FLOPPIES THROUGH THE X-RAY MACHINE. > >have you or anybody had problems in this area? I have sent my 70 Meg LaCie Cirrus throught airport X-ray machines a couple of times and there were no problems, but I was backed up at the time, and we all know that that has a protective effect. Kent Borg kent@lloyd.uucp or ...!husc6!lloyd!kent
esf00@uts.amdahl.com (Elliott S. Frank) (07/29/89)
In article <10938@polya.Stanford.EDU> kaufman@Polya.Stanford.EDU (Marc T. Kaufman) writes: >In article <420009@hpbbm.HP.COM> bwolf@hpbbm.HP.COM (Bryan Wolf) writes: > >>Caveat regarding your data: NEVER (EVER EVER!) put your >>floppies through the X-ray thingie you have to walk through at >>security;... > >This has GOT to be on the way to becomming a new Urban Legend. First, there >are no X-rays emitted by the metal detector set ... Ummmmmm. The walk through metal detector is set off by **any** object that unbalances a circulating current. From the part of E&M that I didn't sleep through, that implies that there's a magnetic field somewhere nearby. The X-rays **from the hand baggage inspection device** may not be a problem (except for your unexposed film) but the belt motors definately generate electrical fields (can you say, "don't put any disks on the _left_ side of your Mac?"). I took a a trip in April with some of my floppies in my briefcase instead of in the camera bag and ended up with "This disk is unreadable ...." Caveat traveller ... -- Elliott Frank ...!{hplabs,ames,sun}!amdahl!esf00 (408) 746-6384 or ....!{bnrmtv,drivax,hoptoad}!amdahl!esf00 [the above opinions are strictly mine, if anyone's.] [the above signature may or may not be repeated, depending upon some inscrutable property of the mailer-of-the-week.]
Adam.Frix@f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Adam Frix) (07/29/89)
About the "urban legend" of sending disks through the airport metal detector being dangerous: at Ohio State, all the libraries are equipped with a security device that one must walk through to exit the library; if you're carrying a book that hasn't been checked out and desensitized, this system will scream for help. Now, for some reason or another (which I don't know and have never had explained to me), every library posts a sign somewhere that says NOT to take floppies through this thing, to hand them to a desk person who can pass them through around this security system. I think the engineering library sign even says that data can (implies heavily: WILL) be lost. So what's the scoop here? -- Adam Frix via cmhGate - Net 226 fido<=>uucp gateway Col, OH UUCP: ...!osu-cis!n8emr!cmhgate!200!Adam.Frix INET: Adam.Frix@f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG
mjkobb@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Michael J Kobb) (07/30/89)
In article <326@zooks.Morgan.COM> jordan@Morgan.COM (Jordan Hayes) writes: >Uh, I thought that most SCSI disks automatically retract the heads on >power-down ... i've never seen a way to "park" a Mac hard drive. Actually, not all hard drives automatically park themselves. I own a HyperDrive FX/20. It does not park the heads at shutdown. You have to run their head-parking software before shutting down. Also, in general, hard drives won't park the heads on being powered-down. Various drives _will_ park if you properly shutdown the Mac (from the finder's Special menu), but this is software-based. Therefore, (for you internal drive folks) it is especially important to remember to shutdown properly after the airline security folks have you turn on the Mac to prove that it is what it looks like. --Mike
lunde@accuvax.nwu.edu (Albert Lunde) (07/31/89)
In article <10938@polya.Stanford.EDU> kaufman@Polya.Stanford.EDU (Marc T. Kaufman) writes: >... Second the electric field set >up by the detector coils is far too weak to erase a disk or tape. There is >no appreciable magnetic field, and anyway, magnetic fields attenuate as the >FOURTH power of distance. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I think geometry is important here - I think the magnetic field from a finite dipole source varies with distance as the third or fourth power depending what orientation you look at. But the situation here is different: one is passing between large diameter loops, whose spacing is less than or equal to their diameter. Distant memories of physics experiments suggest this is a cookbook setup to get nearly constant field strength over a large volume. Presumablely the field is varied at high frequency to maximize induced eddy currents. This could also increase the likelyhood of erasure. Northwestern University has one of our computer labs in a library, and one of the standard things the consultants recovering trashed disks ask is if someone has taken them thru the library security devices - there is oral tradition to support the idea that this is a real problem, but I don't know of anyone doing a controled experiment to test it out. The library and anti-shoplifting devices may differ in detail since they are looking for a small item of known composition, not guns, knives , etc. Albert Lunde lunde@nuacc.acns.nwu.edu "We are all part of one another" Barbara Demming
gford@nunki.usc.edu (Gregory Ford) (07/31/89)
Michael J Kobbs writes: >Actually, not all hard drives automatically park themselves. Does anybody know which do and/or don't? I have a Rodime 1400RX, and am curious. ******************************************************************************* * Greg Ford GEnie: G.FORD3 * * University of Southern California Internet: gford%nunki.usc.edu@usc.edu * *******************************************************************************
lars@salt.acc.com (Lars J Poulsen) (08/01/89)
In article <3514@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> jnh@ecemwl.UUCP (Joseph N. Hall) writes: >Europeans, who pay up to twice for Macs what Americans do, are more than >willing to believe that people in America will try to smuggle them to >their friends there. It's your job to convince customs officials that the >Mac you're carrying is YOUR Mac, it's USED, and you DON'T want to sell it. >Theoretically you can be required to post a bond, in each country you visit, >for the amount of duty that would be imposed on the item were you to sell it >there. This is the only sure-fire mechanism for avoiding customs hassles >completely. > >If you want to post bonds (do this well in advance of your travel), contact >the appropriate consulate(s) and get the required forms. (Don't forget your >visa if you're going to France, either...) (1) Almost all countries have a provision for allowing temporary importation and re-exportation of "tools of your trade". (It may however take some courtesy and patience to agree that just as a calculator used to be the tool of the accountant's trade, a Mac is the tool of the programmer's trade). (2) The proper documentation for taking valuable goods temporarily into one or more countries and out again is a "Carnet de passage en douane", "Carnet" for short. This is a green booklet of import and export forms, which get processed by customs whenever you cross a border. In Europe, these are routinely issued by the chamber of commerce for its members. They are intended for demonstration equipment and samples of merchandise carried by travelling salesmen and shipped to trade shows. I am not sure exactly where you get them in this country. Try calling the chamber of commerce, and the customs office. I have travelled a lot with equipment on Carnets. I had a carnet covering a master list of all the stuff I might need to take with me for on-site software development, including terminals, microcomputer development systems, disk packs etc, thrown what I needed in the back of a car, and driven from Copenhagen to London, Zurich, Vienna and back; dropping stuff off on the way sometimes, with the paperwork cleaned up later. At each border crossing, filling out the next pair of forms, and checking out with one customs office, and checking in with the new one. The only time this was a REAL problem was when I missed a flight from Milan to London, and got waitlisted for the next one. The customs people would not process my paperwork before the airline promised I'd be on the next flight, and the airline was reluctant to hold the flight for 20 minutes while I did the customs stuff after they cleared me 10 minutes before departure time. But other than that: It's a small hassle, but no real big deal. You learn cross-cultural stuff by having to talk to bureaucrats in every country you go through. / Lars Poulsen <lars@salt.acc.com> (800) 222-7308 or (805) 963-9431 ext 358 ACC Customer Service Affiliation stated for identification only My employer probably would not agree if he knew what I said !!
amanda@intercon.uu.net (Amanda Walker) (08/01/89)
In article <17545.24D22F3D@cmhgate.FIDONET.ORG>, Adam.Frix@f200.n226.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Adam Frix) writes: > ... at Ohio State, all the libraries are equipped > with a security device that one must walk through ... Most "walk-through" security devices / metal detectors use short high-energy magnetic pulses. The library ones look for the characteristic signature of a short thin magnet (glued into the book), and airport weapon detectors look for a piece of ferrous metal about as big as a gun. These things are bad for disks, in a big way. As an aside, I once walked through the security gate at Ohio State's engineering library while listening to my Walkman... Yow! I thought I'd been shot :-). The X-ray machine shouldn't do anything to media or drives, although most airport personnel that I've seen are fairly used to the idea of non-explosive media by now :-), and will carry it around for you. On the plus side, the demagnetizing gadgets in libraries are *great* for erasing disks. That is, of course, if you can convince the librarian to run your disk across one of them :-)... -- Amanda Walker InterCon Systems Corporation amanda@intercon.uu.net | ...!uunet!intercon!amanda -- "We may have come here on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." --Betsy Rose
emb90619@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Eric M Berdahl) (08/01/89)
I've got another customs caveat for you. We recently shipped a printer to the Netherlands for use while we were over there doing co-development with a university in Delft. It went over fine. Coming back, it got held up in Memphis by customs (not that we needed it back here for a demonstration or anything :-)) for a few days. Apparently, the printing media has the word "film" printed on the packaging (we also send a spare roll of media in case we ran out), so customs made us execute affidavits swearing that the film contained no obscene or pornographic material. Moral: make sure all "film"s are marked "Unexposed film" Don't 'cha love it? *********************************************************************** * Eric M. Berdahl * "Life has little to do with * * Amoco Technology Company * infinity and jelly doughnuts" * * Amoco Research Center * * * PO Box 3011 MC F-2 * e-mail: berdahl@igor.nap.amoco.com * * Naperville, Illinois 60566 * Phone: (312) 420-3820 * ***********************************************************************
dhsy@vax5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU (08/05/89)
Would people with a lot of MacTravel experience post the names of the airports so we would know what we are going to face in those places? I have been travel only within Boston and Ithaca with the Mac and got no big problems. The mac has been put in the overhead compartment, under my feet, on an empty seat, with the stewardess (I don't know where she put it) and even checked in once. The external hard drive and the mac (with an internal HD) have been Xrayed. And I have been stared at. But somehow I'm lucky enough that there was no damages and unpleasant stories. I've been using a softbag ($100) for the macSE and external HD. dhsy@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
thecloud@dhw68k.cts.com (Ken McLeod) (08/13/89)
In article <10938@polya.Stanford.EDU> kaufman@Polya.Stanford.EDU (Marc T. Kaufman) writes: >In article <420009@hpbbm.HP.COM> bwolf@hpbbm.HP.COM (Bryan Wolf) writes: > >>Caveat regarding your data: NEVER (EVER EVER!) put your >>floppies through the X-ray thingie you have to walk through at >>security;... > >This has GOT to be on the way to becomming a new Urban Legend. First, there >are no X-rays emitted by the metal detector. Second, the electric field set >up by the detector coils is far too weak to erase a disk or tape. There is >no appreciable magnetic field, and anyway, magnetic fields attenuate as the >FOURTH power of distance. I carry a Jasmine external hard drive and several boxes of floppies in my briefcase (standard-type briefcase, no special shielding) with me as carry-on luggage, and have never had any data loss after putting them through the x-ray "conveyor belt" detector. I have also had a floppy in my pocket when walking through the metal detector "gate", and no data loss there either. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it's always been photographic film that people should be paranoid about putting throught the x-ray box, not magnetic media. -k -- ========== ....... ============================================= Ken McLeod :. .: UUCP: ...{spsd,zardoz,felix}!dhw68k!thecloud ========== :::.. ..::: INTERNET: thecloud@dhw68k.cts.com //// =============================================
vpg90878@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (08/15/89)
Does anyone have experience carrying on an Apple Imagewriter LQ? Vipin Gupta UI Program in Arms Control
nljg0470@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (09/02/89)
An even better reason not to mention ANYTHING about explosives, bombs etc. is because it is against the law to even joke about it. (or so I was told) They might view it as a threat. I learned this when working as a custodian in airport one summer, I was joking with a little kid in front of the security check in and made a gun w/ my thumb and forefinger and pointed at the kid. Real innocent. Anyway, they saw me and balled me out, when I complained to my boss about them being uptight, he bawled (pardon the sp above) me out too. Moral: alot of them are too touchy about things like that to joke about. - Nick