In regards to the PC Technician Series

[Buzz]

In the Computer Technician 101: The Essential Toolbox , I noticed where they were speaking of Miscellaneous items it said "you’ll want to keep a rubber eraser (the type that erases inkpens) for cleaning contacts on cards.

I read from the Comptia A+ Certification by Mike Meyers not to do this, because it leaves residue behind and there is a special cleaner for this called a "Contact Cleaner".

What does everyone else think :)

[greggh]

I havent had problems with the erasers, but it is possible. And yes you can get contact cleaner at any good electronics store.

[focuz]

This basically comes down to... do you as a technician want to spend a bunch of money on cleaners or buy a couple $.05 erasers and just make sure you don't leave residue.

[Bryce W]

I say use the erasers and be sure to blow off/brush away any residue. Ive never had a problem with it but I guess if a decent amount remained on the contact and it ended up in the slot it could cause conductivity issues.

[Mac]

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Speaking of cats.. When the local china man cooks up my Mongolian lamb I don’t really care if he uses a shallow wok or the one inch deeper wok as specified in the iron chef wiz bang manual. As long as is tastes good that’s all that matters.
I’m not sure if that’s a good analogy for this situation but it’s an analogy all the same.
The point is that it doesn’t really matter which way it’s done if both work equally well. I guess it comes down to people’s personality and their obedience to authority.
Now people that are obedient to authority would go with the contact cleaner. But a real computer tech, a critical mind, a logical and rational free thinker would go with the eraser.
Speaking of authority, you would do well to steer clear of it. Check out the milgram experiments (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment)where people were essentially tricked into electrocuting other people to death. Just to see if they would do it. %65 of people were willing to give 450 volt electric shocks to other people simply because an authority figure (guy in a white coat) told them to.
When you think about how the hell could the holocaust or world wars happen just remember the milgram experiments. :eek:

[breadtrk]

The type of eraser that work best are the white ones designed to use with erasable pens. They clean the contacts up to a real nice shine. Use a Q-Tip, (the wooden stick kind we all carry) soaked in alcohol to clean the residue.

How is that for a first post?