Punishment of bad equipment
Here are some of the things I've done to punish 'bad equipment' over the last 25 years or so - and make myself feel better and to cleanse the universe of evil.
2005: Small 12V PSU for scanner burned in barbecue, for failing after 6 months.
2004: HP Laserjet 4L printer diced up with an angle grinder, for being made of plastic parts and not lasting 30+ years like my first stereo amp.
2003: Goldstar 17" colour PC monitor thrown out of upstairs window onto concrete patio, for repeatedly making 'pink pictures' and defying well-meaning attempts at repair.
1998: Pioneer PL12E turntable dropped in Buckinghamshire canal, for losing all it's arm ballbearings during intercontinental freight and persistently getting stuck while playing records.
1997: Beogram TX smashed with axe and 7kg sledgehammer, for persistently lifting its arm out of turn and defying sincere and careful attempts at repair.
1996: Pioneer top range car radio/tape deck smashed with sledgehammer for being so badly designed that one could not fix a bad connection on the aerial socket without removing nearly every single module inside.
1995: Leap Model U2 PAL programmer sawn neatly in half on a bandsaw and returned to distributor, for repeatedly failing inbetween bouts of infrequent use.
1993: Amstrad Laptop ridden over repeatedly with BMW 3.0L, for failing as a datalogger during an important field measurement session.
1992: HP 14" colour monitor shot to death at with silenced .22 rifle, for being initially exorbitant and later having no resale value.
1986: Self-designed and built PCB etching station smashed with sledgehammer for leaking and being a generally poor and unworkable project.
1985: Unknown make of car 'driving computer' ripped of dashboard pod and thrown out of Audi window onto freeway, for measuring the fuel flow with a silly little ball in a race, and for lying about fuel consumption.
1971-1975: Numerous old radiograms in tasteless 'clawfoot-baroque' wooden cabinets smashed with axes, sledgehammers, angle grinders, huge bolt cutters, for having been dumped on an innocent teenager 'for 'parts' and occupying badly needed space.
1968: 4 transistor superhet am/sw receiver in project book by David Gibson, ripped apart for not working as expected.
My concern for the environment now forbids me to simply throw stuff away willy-nilly. It has to be punished in controlled circumstances and disposed of properly.
John the Destroyer
Here are some of the things I've done to punish 'bad equipment' over the last 25 years or so - and make myself feel better and to cleanse the universe of evil.
2005: Small 12V PSU for scanner burned in barbecue, for failing after 6 months.
2004: HP Laserjet 4L printer diced up with an angle grinder, for being made of plastic parts and not lasting 30+ years like my first stereo amp.
2003: Goldstar 17" colour PC monitor thrown out of upstairs window onto concrete patio, for repeatedly making 'pink pictures' and defying well-meaning attempts at repair.

1998: Pioneer PL12E turntable dropped in Buckinghamshire canal, for losing all it's arm ballbearings during intercontinental freight and persistently getting stuck while playing records.

1997: Beogram TX smashed with axe and 7kg sledgehammer, for persistently lifting its arm out of turn and defying sincere and careful attempts at repair.

1996: Pioneer top range car radio/tape deck smashed with sledgehammer for being so badly designed that one could not fix a bad connection on the aerial socket without removing nearly every single module inside.

1995: Leap Model U2 PAL programmer sawn neatly in half on a bandsaw and returned to distributor, for repeatedly failing inbetween bouts of infrequent use.

1993: Amstrad Laptop ridden over repeatedly with BMW 3.0L, for failing as a datalogger during an important field measurement session.
1992: HP 14" colour monitor shot to death at with silenced .22 rifle, for being initially exorbitant and later having no resale value.

1986: Self-designed and built PCB etching station smashed with sledgehammer for leaking and being a generally poor and unworkable project.

1985: Unknown make of car 'driving computer' ripped of dashboard pod and thrown out of Audi window onto freeway, for measuring the fuel flow with a silly little ball in a race, and for lying about fuel consumption.
1971-1975: Numerous old radiograms in tasteless 'clawfoot-baroque' wooden cabinets smashed with axes, sledgehammers, angle grinders, huge bolt cutters, for having been dumped on an innocent teenager 'for 'parts' and occupying badly needed space.

1968: 4 transistor superhet am/sw receiver in project book by David Gibson, ripped apart for not working as expected.
My concern for the environment now forbids me to simply throw stuff away willy-nilly. It has to be punished in controlled circumstances and disposed of properly.
John the Destroyer