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[Cthulhu]

Hard Drives are magnetic, optical disks are optical.

[bjlong]

Hard drives are magnetic disks that spin in the same direction. An electromagnet writes to the disk by causing the magnetic polarization on the disk to change. The same electromagnet can pick up what's written to the disk. That's kind of a rough sketch of how things work there--there are plenty of materials science things that I'm glossing over.

If you have a dead harddrive, you should open it up and take a look inside. Lots of nifty things in there.

[Duke 2.0]

 HRRRRG DUKE SMASH TREE.

 Seriously, that thing was four times taller than our two-story house and could have easily crushed any number of neighbors sheds. Naturally my dad cut down the big stuff up top because he is the only guy crazy enough to do it with a rickety metal ladder, an electric chainsaw, some frayed rope and a complete disregard for branches hitting the ladder. Now we can't collapse it because branches warped it so much.

 Then as my father went inside to rest up I went ballistic on the branches, creating a wood pile a good ten times my own body weight.

 Good times.

[Itnetlolor]

[...]minor issue: I'm not letting that anywhere near my computer or CD/DVDs. I mean, being made of rare earth magnets and all, I can imaging the damage one of those can do to a computer[...]

I just feel like I have to point out that data on CDs and DVDs is stored optically, by effectively etching the surface with a laser; magnets won't have the slightest effect on them. Your computer, possibly; but I've heard it takes some serious magnetism to effect hard drives, at least. It'd certainly be fun to experiment with (someone else's computer)!

I was just concerned about having rare-earth magnets around technology due to some myths, and some harsh truths. I just didn't want to run a risk of accidentally wiping my drives because my nephew would throw a ball made of those at the wall expecting it to bounce back.

Let's not forget, I have some stray things lying around (GBA, PSP, flash drives, a nearby non-flat TV, consoles, etc.); you can see my concern here.

[Gunner-Chan]

Whenever I'm feeling down, Eva or Milly are always there to catch me.

Naptiems....

[Judas Maccabeus]

Speaking of computer electromagnetics:  New graphics card came in!  And I can tell the difference.  If nothing else, Visual Fortress finally runs properly. 

[Gunner-Chan]

Short lived... Eva decided instead of napping together she should play games so I can watch.

Oh well, still feeling happier. :3

[zchris13]

[...]minor issue: I'm not letting that anywhere near my computer or CD/DVDs. I mean, being made of rare earth magnets and all, I can imaging the damage one of those can do to a computer[...]

I just feel like I have to point out that data on CDs and DVDs is stored optically, by effectively etching the surface with a laser; magnets won't have the slightest effect on them. Your computer, possibly; but I've heard it takes some serious magnetism to effect hard drives, at least. It'd certainly be fun to experiment with (someone else's computer)!

I was just concerned about having rare-earth magnets around technology due to some myths, and some harsh truths. I just didn't want to run a risk of accidentally wiping my drives because my nephew would throw a ball made of those at the wall expecting it to bounce back.

Let's not forget, I have some stray things lying around (GBA, PSP, flash drives, a nearby non-flat TV, consoles, etc.); you can see my concern here.

If you throw it at a wall, it just goes splat, and then slides down.  In a single piece.  It glitched out my computer because I got too many too close, but it's fine at 6 in. away.

I can make a cube.  My brother got some too, and I stole it, and now I can make an enormous cube.

[Hippoman]

Whenever I'm feeling down, Eva or Milly are always there to catch me.

Naptiems....

Whose Eva and Milly?

[Jackrabbit]

If you have to ask by now, I'm sure it won't matter to you all that much.

Check her profile, she has a blog, and it'll explain everything.

[cowofdoom78963]

Whenever I'm feeling down, Eva or Milly are always there to catch me.

Naptiems....

Whose Eva and Milly?

No one knows.

Some people think they might no but their wrong.

[Tack]

They're a delusional pair of fictional characters created by her schitzophrenic mind to make her world more perfect.

Luckily her- Why, I Feel Like Brownies! Who Would Like Some Brownies?

[Jackrabbit]

I haven't even met her mother and yet I'd gladly smack her one if I saw her.

[Hippoman]

If you have to ask by now, I'm sure it won't matter to you all that much.

Check her profile, she has a blog, and it'll explain everything.

It didn't.

I haven't even met her mother and yet I'd gladly smack her one if I saw her.

WHy?

[Jackrabbit]

No, really, it will. I refuse to believe you read the entire thing in that space of time.

As for her mother, she's a deadbeat homophobe and she psychically abused her own daughter because she wouldn't lend her money she could have worked maybe a day for.