[comp.sys.mac.hardware] A IIci nit

jwg1@gte.com (James W. Gish) (09/07/90)

Just a minor annoyance with the design of the IIci I want to get off my chest:

Apple, pray tell, why did you choose to place the programmer's switch
such that if the machine is placed on end as recommended, it is easy
to inadvertently reboot the machine by sliding a book across the
desk/surface the machine is resting on?  And if you had to put it
where you did, couldn't you provide some kind of guard to help prevent
accidental reboots?

Wheww....that feels better :-)
--
Jim Gish (jgish@gte.com)
Principal Investigator
Software Reusability Project
GTE Laboratories Inc.

brindle (Jack Brindle) (09/07/90)

In article <JWG1.90Sep6174301@bunny.gte.com> jwg1@gte.com (James W. Gish) writes:
>Just a minor annoyance with the design of the IIci I want to get off my chest:
>
>Apple, pray tell, why did you choose to place the programmer's switch
>such that if the machine is placed on end as recommended, it is easy
>to inadvertently reboot the machine by sliding a book across the
>desk/surface the machine is resting on?  And if you had to put it
>where you did, couldn't you provide some kind of guard to help prevent
>accidental reboots?
>
>Wheww....that feels better :-)
>--
>Jim Gish (jgish@gte.com)
>Principal Investigator
>Software Reusability Project
>GTE Laboratories Inc.

I tend to agree. But, I solved the problem quite easily. My mouse pad now
sits right in front of the cpu, and that is where the mouse resides. Since
I don't place books on the mouse, I no longer have the reset problem. Well...
Except when my 16 month old son comes in to play. He crawls up in my lap,
and somehow the reset and interrupt buttons seems to scream out "push me".
He usually does :-}.
By the way, my wife's Plus has the same baby problems with the buttons
on the side. The Mac sits on the corner of the desk so that the buttons
are at the perfect level desk for little Brian to play with. I don't think
Apple could have won this one :-). Think I'll keep both my son AND the Macs
around, though. They are both enjoyable to play and work with!
JackB.

kam@dlogics.COM (Kevin Mitchell) (09/08/90)

In article <JWG1.90Sep6174301@bunny.gte.com>, jwg1@gte.com (James W. Gish) writes:
> 
> Apple, pray tell, why did you choose to place the programmer's switch
> such that if the machine is placed on end as recommended, it is easy
> to inadvertently reboot the machine by sliding a book across the
> desk/surface the machine is resting on?  

Isn't it removeable?

When I first got my Mac 128, I stuck the programmer switch in the left side,
and one day, while tinkering with MacPaint with my left leg up on the desk,
I moved my foot and <beep> all my work was gone.

Just gotta stay away from it.

Why not build a small cover to put over it. Take a small box, cut one end off
and tape it to the cabinet. When you want to reset, you poke your finger
into the box to reach the switch.



-- 
Kevin A. Mitchell                (312) 266-4485
Datalogics, Inc                  Internet: kam@dlogics.UUCP
441 W. Huron                     UUCP: ..!uunet!dlogics!kam
Chicago, IL  60610               FAX: (312) 266-4473

derosa@motcid.UUCP (John DeRosa) (09/11/90)

Well I had the same complaint about the Plus reset button.  I had
a series of resets that I swore were the fault of the hardware.  
What is turned out to be was my Radius FPD bumping the reset 
button.