For years I had a version of the famous blinkenlights notice, typed on a flexowriter, which had been taped to the LGP 30 when we got it; sadly it and the LGP 30 are now gone (due to a catastrophe), but I always assumed that the version on my note had been taken from a Datamation article sometime around 1960. I would appreciate seeing any versions that you all may have and any recollections of where you have encountered it, and if anyone has seen it in the context of telephone equipment or CO locations, and if anyone can confirm which trade magazines may have printed it.
Here is the version as displayed by Wikipedia:
ACHTUNG! ALLES TURISTEN UND NONTEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS! DAS KOMPUTERMASCHINE IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKSEN. IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS. ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN.
This differs somewhat from my recollection and indeed the Wikipedia article states that a great many versions existed.
Michael
***** Moderator's Note *****This timeless warning was briefly popular at the start of the computer revolution in the U.S., but use subsided amid acccusations of politically-incorrectness because of the "Ginglish" language. Still, it gets high marks for effectiveness: I saw it taped to a #1ESS control panel in 1974.
Politicall-incorrect or not, it still has a place beside other timeless warnings:
(Next to a paper cutting machine)
"Cut fingers will fall on this side. Please dispose of properly."
(In the MIT Laser Lab)
"Do not look into laser with remaining eye."
(On the wall at a driver-training school)
"Do not bet on your ego in a fight with the laws of physics. Physics wins
*every* time!"(On the desk of a probabtion officer in a Massachusetts courthouse)
"Attention, teenagers: 'No' is a complete sentence."
I'm sure there are others. ;-)
Bill Horne Moderator