> Date:    Wed, 22 Dec 1999 16:40:18 -0800
> From:    Rosie Richter <[log in to unmask]>
>
> All of a sudden my Logitech Mouseman shocks me when I boot up to
> Win98.   I touch it and then it freezes.   I use the keyboard to go to
> the control panel and select refresh.   That gets it working again and
> it stops shocking me.
>
> We've been having 50 miles an hour Santa Ana winds so I'm wondering if
> that is causing the problem.  Does that sound like it could be the
> problem?   Or, is there anything else I should consider.
>
> Thanks for any advice you can give me..
> Rosie Richter

Like everyone else, I leapt to the conclusion that the shock you got
was an instantaneous static "zap" when you first touched the mouse.
Synthetic fabrics like nylon are notorious for generating static, and
should be avoided around electronics if possible.  You can also safely
discharge a static charge by touching a key chain (or other metallic
object) to the shiny metal around the power supply at the back of the
computer.  Just touching the chassis will discharge the charge, but
you may feel an objectionable "zap".

On the other hand, I want to be sure that it was a static shock, and
not the continuous "buzz" or "tingle" that you would experience while
making contact with a "leaky" electrical appliance.  I have seen
circumstances where the dirt around the grounding rod for a building was
so dry (and the water table so low) that it was possible to light a neon
bulb by touching it to the ground rod.  It is possible that a faulty ground
connection, combined with a fault somewhere in the building, is making
everything that is supposed to be grounded "live".  That would be
dangerous, and should be fixed immediately.

Boyd Ramsay

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