Any IBM Power / AIX fans out there?

[Tony Duell]

> That's exactly my point! I'm not risking my unusual hardware on my
> inexperience, and I don't think that you should imply others should either
> (which is how the original post came across). If he doesn't know how to
> re-key a lock, and I know I sure don't, then he should get expert help if
> the machine means something to him. Ergo, the locksmith.

It appears to me that you consider there are 2 options : Risk the 
hardware by doing it yourself when you don't know what you are doing or 
get a professional to do it.

There is, IMHO, a third option, and it's the one I always take. That is 
to learn to do the job properly yourself by practicing on non-valuable 
items. Even buyt things with the express intention of taking them apart, 
knowing you might not get them back together again. I've certainly done that.

> If it was some PoC machine that I knew I could get another of, or was
> busted and there was nothing to lose, then fine, I'd probably mess with
> it. But I'm definitely aware of my limitations, and I don't see a learning
> experience in ruining unusual hardware trying to learn to fix it (in
> particular when a far better alternative to self-repair is available).

I disagree that it's 'far better' to get somebody else to do it. To me 
the best thing is to learn something. That's one reason I play about with 
classic computers, of course. 

-tony