🚀 go-pugleaf

> >electromagnet with AC mains flowing through it.  This generates an
> >alternating magnetic field which demagnetises things around it. 
>                                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Including floppy disks, hard disks, video/audio tapes if one isn't careful,
> no? :-)

Maybe.  I have intentionally left floppies, etc., around on top of 19"
monitors and power-cycled 'em, to see if this was a concern, and was unable
to damage the floppies.  The field created by the internal degauss coil is
relatively weak compared with, say, the hand-held degaussers - which I
wouldn't trust near ANYTHING with magentically-recorded info on it (have I
told you the story of a trip to Sony, and a hotel which had the new
magnetic-card locks??? :-)).  

This is NOT an endorsement of leaving your discs on top of your monitor -
I wouldn't trust 'em that far - but should you happen to do it accidently,
don't immediately assume that all is lost.


Bob Myers  KC0EW   Hewlett-Packard Co.      |Opinions expressed here are not
                   Systems Technology Div.  |those of my employer or any other
myers@fc.hp.com    Fort Collins, Colorado   |sentient life-form on this planet.