I am *so* glad to see this topic taken head on.  F-a-r too often I see
so-called computer professionals handling electronic gear inappropriately.
 I've seen devices taped down w/ cellophane tape (horrid for ESD when
removed) onto non dissipative surfaces - yet, another strike.  I've seen
motherboards on display laying atop *carpet*!  I've walked away from
vendors who hand me a device handling it by the "fingers" (edge-connector),
the list goes on.  I've gone to other computer shops and witnessed complete
disregard for ESD measures on the part of the technicians - people whom
customers rely upon to repair their equipment, *not* degrade it.  It would
appear that proper ESD handling knowledge is at a rampant deficit amongst
many, including "computer professionals".

Case in point: A popular electronics store in the SD area has a tech area
that is visible to the customer.  I watched a tech testing out components
w/ a bare mother board laying atop a static dissipative sheet w/ *power
applied*.  In his attempt to be careful he has worsened his situation.
 That static dissipative sheet that comes w/ a mother board *conducts* - it
dissipates a charge build up.  *NOT* something you want across circuits w/
power applied.  (The sheet he was using was one of the pink ones - they
used to be impregnated w/ soap or something on that order that would act to
dissipate charge, I don't know what they use these days - anyway, the point
is, it *conducts*!)  To top it off, the technician did not wear a wrist
strap (ESD grounding strap).  I received "advice" from a sales-rep (tech?)
in the electronics section of this same store - his advice was to install
the mother board w/ the "foam padding" as he called it  attached to the
board.  When I told him this "foam padding" was conductive and intended to
dissipate static discharge, he was taken aback.  If he's telling me this,
how many others less knowledgeable is he spreading this misinformation to?

Anyway, what the test tech did - told me that he (and apparently the entire
technical staff) does not have an understanding of the nature of ESD and
how to handle it.  I gives me pause to think what many people's computers
go through before they buy them or when they take their computers to
professionals or shops where the technicians are improperly or inadequately
trained.

Joan Rapier
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There was a recent post that unfortunately stated something to the
effect that a person did not use any grounding of the computer and did
not use a wrist strap.  And it appeared that since nothing had happened,
it was probably okay (or something to that effect).

I strongly urge everyone to not follow those thoughts.

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