[rescue] Re: I joined the SGI cult... Zeitnet anyone?

[Harri Haataja]

On Mon, Feb 04, 2002 at 03:25:44PM -0500, Andrew Weiss wrote:
> On Mon, 4 Feb 2002, Big Endian wrote:
> > Umm... the A+ test is *FULL* of myths and other half/0% truths.
> > unless there's someone who's a trained chemist who can state
> > authoritatively either way we'll go with the "proof from experience"
> 
> I'm a trained chemist... but I don't think I could tell you
> authoritatively.  You would probably need a materials scientist or an
> inorganic chemist to tell you these things.  I don't believe it makes one
> bit of difference, however.  Gold really doesn't seem to corrode, leaving
> tin the only problem.  Are these tin contacts or aluminum?

Given the resistance AlO (yeah, I sohuld do the math as well but I'll
skip it again) has, probably something else.
Apparently (so called?) phosphor bronze is quite common in connectors as
well. The SIMMs I've seen are mostly white, though.

And since I started this, I'll try to put some more perspective into it:
I don't believe the claim that the sockets (gold plated) will corrode. I
am quite willing to believe that the SIMMs corrode. 
And YES, the manual is right, use gold. You may get away with other
materials, especially if you keep them clean. If you've seen something
thoroughly rusty or oxidized, you know reactions don't stay clean. You
will at least lose the contact eventually, even if not permanently.

But no, both metals dont .. suffer .. if put into electrical contact.
Not directly. I believe very firmly in that.

-- 
Being generous is inborn; being altruistic is a learned perversity.