News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB Killer device. Parent comment

Re:Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB... by interfixus on Friday April 19, 2019 @01:19AM (#19697272)
> Is there any device that is supposed to survive this?

There used to be...

As a boy - and this is many, many years ago - I once, ehm, accidentally connected the external speaker-plug on an old vacuum tube household radio to the 220V mains.

A very loud bang, and the house went dark. The radio, however, was fine, although with an interesting new tonal slant to everything.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB... by chrisswanda on Friday April 19, 2019 @06:01AM (#19698249)
As a young man, I grabbed a 6146B tube before it discharged. I felt fine, until the pain started.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB... by codedokode on Friday April 19, 2019 @08:26AM (#19698980)
Because radios in those days were made properly, without planned obsolescence!
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Former student destroys 59 university computers using USB... by klodolph on Friday April 19, 2019 @10:22AM (#19699831)
That's the filter of history at work. By and large, old radios were not built to last. The only ones that survive are the ones that, because of good design, good luck, or gentle use, managed to make it to today.

I repair & build vacuum tube equipment as a hobby.

[ Parent | on HN ]