Thanks George,
The theft of Laptop computers seems to be more common than I suspected...
This could be an opportunity for a EE, a programmer and a PCB designer to
come up with an add on product that would protect or at least help recover
your laptop in the event someone tired to steal it.
I like the idea of some sort of 'LoJack' tracker built into a Laptop...
I was discussing the subject with a friend of mine... One idea was some sort
of a virus-like program that occasionally pops up and asks for an ID and if
it's not forthcoming, the first time it's connected to the Internet it sends
e-mails out to the authorities with your Laptop's GPS location...
Another idea was some sort of radio beacon that can be tracked with the
right equipment, but that might be rather expensive, how about say something
built into your cell phone for example... With text based cell phones it
could give you direction finding information... right over your phone...
that might make the chase more possible... and immediate. (you can't run or
hide... we will find you).
I don't know if there is anything like this out there, but it sounds like a
great product enhancement... Laptops cost as much as Cars used to... in the
1970's anyway, and they are expensive enough that they qualify as 'Felony
Grand theft' larceny.
Maybe if there is someone out there that wants to work on a project like
this we could get together and create a product and sell it to the Laptop
manufacturers.
GPS receivers are very small now and easy to add into the Laptop geometry...
It could work.
Thanks for the kind words, George... I could find great satisfaction in the
'thermite charge' idea.. but I want my Laptop back... :(
Best regards,
Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
http://www.dtwc.com
http://pcbwizards.com
-----Original Message-----
From: George Patrick [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 11:09 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [DC] Warning... when attending events
What a drag...
It is an absolute hassle to lug everything around with you when you leave
the room, but with the way things are now it's the only way to keep things
like this from happening.
Too bad they don't put thermite charges in notebooks that are set off by
cell phone (or LoJack trackers, but that's less fun to think about) ;D
--
George Patrick
Tektronix, Inc.
Central Engineering, PCB Design Group
P.O. Box 500, M/S 39-512
Beaverton, OR 97077-0001
Phone: 503-627-5272 Fax: 503-627-5587
http://www.tektronix.com http://www.pcb-designer.com
It's my opinion, not Tektronix'
-----Original Message-----
From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Brooks,Bill
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 10:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [DC] Warning... when attending events
Designers,
I know some of you use laptop computers in your work as I do, and I just
want to share this experience with you so you do not have to experience what
happened to me and Mary Sugden last weekend...
Mary was leading the CID+ Workshop and exam in San Marcos California, and I
was attending it along with some other fine designers. We broke for lunch
and were gone from the room for a very short time... only to return to the
room to find that someone of low scruples decided that our laptop computers
would make a great addition to their personal collections... Mary had to
continue the workshop and test from her hand written notes... it was a very
difficult experience. Mary was a real trouper and still did an excellent job
of covering the material and we went on to take the exam on Saturday.
The most painful realization occurs when you recall that you left your
checkbook(s), and your personal information in your carrying case, and they
now know where you live, what your home phone number and work number is,
what your bank account numbers are, e-mail, stocks, you name it... etc...
etc.. Not to mention the data that you have on your hard drive, that you
have not backed up... Laptops are terribly portable... it takes only 30
seconds for someone to pass by and grab them and stash them for later
retrieval. We looked high and low and searched the entire area for the
thief(s)... and they had vanished.
Mailing lists, passwords, lost reference information, jobs you may have been
working on, etc... this can be a very sickening experience...
The laptops can be expensive, mine was over 2,700 dollars (a Dell Inspiron
8200 with 64MB DDR ram, 40G hd, leather case, high end video, extra
batteries... ugh...)and they are targets of thieves, who seem to watch and
wait for you to make a mistake or get careless for an instant, even when you
think your stuff is safe in the confines of a classroom environment... don't
let your equipment out of your sight... And think about what you have on
your computer... and what it would mean if someone managed to walk away with
it.
Please don't let this happen to you...
Best regards,
Bill Brooks - KG6VVP
PCB Design Engineer , C.I.D.+, C.I.I.
Tel: (760)597-1500 Ext 3772 Fax: (760)597-1510
http://www.dtwc.com
http://pcbwizards.com
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