🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <50k5b8$3...@eve.speakeasy.org>, bri...@speakeasy.org (Brian
Raiter) wrote:

> One application of the scientific method, alone and in of itself, does
> not generate proof.
> 
> They were mistaken, however, as you did prove something. Namely: a ringing
> telephone will not erase a floppy disk 100% of the time. Now if you want to
> prove that a ringing telephone will never erase a floppy disk, or will fail
> to 90% of the time, I suggest you get to work.

I didn't try the experiment only once. I repeated it with several magnets
(fridge magnets, loudspeaker magnets, the magnetic latches on my
cupboards, and the telephone). I repeated the same experiment many times -
I left the floppy under the phone for a week, occasionally repositioning
the phone over it to try other "hot spots".

This is a standard Western Electric Bell telephone - the model most likely
to cause damage. I see no reason to believe other phones of the same model
would perform differently. I see no reason to believe other models would
behave worse.

If you doubt the results, try the experiment yourself. (That's part of the
scientific method, too.) If you want to prove that a ringing telephone
will EVER erase a floppy disk, I suggest you get to work.

And that's my point. Instead of sitting around pontificating about how
"somebody" said that "someone" erased a bunch of disks/tapes/whatever, so
it must be true, you should all try the experiment for yourself. It isn't
hard. Try your own variations on. Let's put this fable to bed.

The post I was replying to said "This doesn't prove anything, you know."
If by "this" he meant "experimenting" (as I assumed he did), then he's
completely wrong. It's the only thing that does.

-Ron Hunsinger