somewhere near the temporal coordinates of 7/3/01 3:15 PM, the entity known
as Gregory J. Wayman transmitted the following from gwayman_at_earthlink.net:
>
>> [NTLK] Travelling with the Newton for the first time
>>
>> From: Bill Wilson (bill_at_wlwdesign.com)
>> Date: Tue Jul 03 2001 - 12:53:13 EDT
>
> I just flew outta San Jose, and we HAD to put my Newt and my wifes Ibook
> through the X-ray
> machine, seems thats the new policy
>
> No harm was done to either, but I was #@%$% bricks.
>
That whole thing about airport X-rays arose even before the first laptops.
There are two problems. First, the x-rays used to have to be intense enough
that they could expose film. IIRC, this really never had anything to do
directly with magnetic media. There may have been a problem due to the EM
fields associated with generating the x-rays. Second, and most important to
computer-related things, the motors which drive the conveyor belt had more
than enough magnetic field associated with them to damage unshielded
magnetic media (floppies, etc.)
That was then and this is now... There's been 15 or so years of technology
progress in the x-ray machines, plus all the progress made on the
electronics side of things. The x-rays are less intense and the motors are
smaller and more efficient. Electronics are much less sensitive and are
better shielded. I routinely send my Duo 280c and MP 130 through the x-ray
machine without even a thought and there's never been any problem.
BTW, I *do* make a complete backup before travelling, but that's out of
worry about theft, not because of the x-ray machines.
- Eric.
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