fat electrons

fat electrons
 n.

   Old-time hacker David Cargill's theory on the causation of computer
   glitches. Your typical electric utility draws its line current out of
   the big generators with a pair of coil taps located near the top of
   the dynamo. When the normal tap brushes get dirty, they take them off
   line to clean them up, and use special auxiliary taps on the bottom of
   the coil. Now, this is a problem, because when they do that they get
   not ordinary or `thin' electrons, but the fat'n'sloppy electrons that
   are heavier and so settle to the bottom of the generator. These flow
   down ordinary wires just fine, but when they have to turn a sharp
   corner (as in an integrated-circuit via), they're apt to get stuck.
   This is what causes computer glitches. [Fascinating. Obviously, fat
   electrons must gain mass by {bogon} absorption --ESR] Compare {bogon},
   {magic smoke}.
    

fat electrons

   <electronics, humour> Old-time hacker David Cargill's theory
   on the cause of computer glitches.  Your typical electricity
   company draws its line current out of the big generators with
   a pair of coil taps located near the top of the dynamo.  When
   the normal tap brushes get dirty, they take them off line to
   clean them up, and use special auxiliary taps on the *bottom*
   of the coil.  Now, this is a problem, because when they do
   that they get not ordinary or "thin" electrons, but the fat
   sloppy electrons that are heavier and so settle to the bottom
   of the generator.  These flow down ordinary wires just fine,
   but when they have to turn a sharp corner (as in an
   integrated-circuit via), they're apt to get stuck.  This is
   what causes computer glitches.

   [Obviously, fat electrons must gain mass by {bogon} absorption
   - ESR]

   Compare {bogon}, {magic smoke}.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1996-12-08)