Comments on: Internet hoax hoodwinks McNealy

At Oracle confab, Sun's CEO inadvertently illustrates how easy it is to fall for a high-tech hoax.
Photo: Image that duped McNealy

Not a HOAX - a JOKE. Behold the power of Fark.

CEOs and founders should do fact-checking on branny-new information like this, before using it in presentations.

Good job to Farker lukket for his future Snopes entry ;-)

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=1115586&mode=voteresults
is the URL for the contest this came from - check it out. Fark.com is teh r0x0r!

[Russ911]

Components of "Home Computer" photo

Having been a nuclear reactor technician (many years ago), I instantly recognized the US Navy's nuclear-powered submarine's maneuvering room in the background and expected the photo to be a hoax or photographic humor.

The background is a photo of the National Museum of American History's "Fast Attacks and Boomers: Submarines in the Cold War" exhibit of 2000. The large wheel controls the main engine ahead throttle; the small wheel controls the astern (reverse) throttle on a single-screw submarine.

The maneuvering room exhibit is in three consoles: Left - Main propulsion panel, Center - Nuclear reactor plant control panel, and Right - Electric plant control panel. The mock-up is not exactly correct for purposes of national security.

The keyboard and printer in front is a DEC Model LA36 DECwriter II Teletype Terminal, which was introduced in 1974. The printer is dot matrix, printing at 30 cps. The interface is RS-232/V.24 (remember that?).

The TV is a 1956 Crosley Ridgewood 21" console, less the swivel stand which was a standard part (apparently cropped from photo).

The gentleman (I understand he was one.) is Mr. Edward G. Wellmeier of Dayton, OH (now deceased). Photo was taken on Easter Sunday, 18 April 1954 (probably the source of the "1954" in the composite photo). He ran the Wellmeier Hardware and Glass Company at 600 Xenia Avenue, which I understand is still in business.

Disclaimer: I had nothing to do with the construction of the composite photo. I just tracked down the original images and did a little bit of research about their backgrounds.

Cordially,

/Russ/

Russ Russell, CM, ENP, PMP
9-1-1 SME Consulting

What Drew said; it was not a hoax

What Drew said; it was not a hoax; the image came from a
Fark.com Photohop Contest. McNeely really should have known
better.

Way to go, lukket !

[anandpur]

More hoaxes

http://www.state.gov/p/nea/disarm/

[felgercarbnaysay]

Shankland needs a new job

His Sun & McNealy bashing is getting old.