This 1993 memo, written by Simson L. Garfinkel, a senior editor at NeXTWORLD Magazine, chronicles his elaborate and challenging quest to photograph a burning NeXT Cube. The idea, born from the knowledge that the Cube's case was made of flammable magnesium, was intended for a magazine cover marking the discontinuation of NeXT's hardware line. The memo details the extensive bureaucratic hurdles in obtaining permits, the complex process of identifying the case's paint for safety clearance, and the eventual collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The actual experiment proved unexpectedly difficult, as the specially formulated magnesium alloy resisted ignition. Only after the first cube was reduced to a pile of molten slag did it ignite. To capture a recognizable image, a second "backup" cube was placed on the fire, resulting in a dramatic, instantaneous ignition that the author wryly notes was a more fitting metaphor for NeXT's hardware struggles than the triumphant blaze he had initially envisioned.
The Fiery End of a NeXT Cube: A Journalist's Quest for the Perfect Photo
The Genesis of an Idea: Simson Garfinkel, a writer for NeXTWORLD Magazine and former chemist, knew the NeXT Cube's cast magnesium case was flammable. He conceived the idea of burning one for a dramatic photograph, a plan he pitched to NeXT's VP of hardware in 1991, who provided him with an empty case.
A Project Revived: The plan lay dormant until NeXT announced it was discontinuing its hardware line in 1993. Garfinkel and his editor, Dan Ruby, decided the image of a burning cube would be a perfect, symbolic cover for the magazine.
The Bureaucratic Maze: Garfinkel's attempts to get a permit for an open-air burn were met with rejection from numerous fire departments and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, who cited complex regulations and the need for hearings.
A National Lab Steps In: In a breakthrough, Garfinkel contacted Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLL), a national weapons lab. LLL was surprisingly accommodating, offering their high-explosives testing facility, "Site 300," for the experiment.
The Paint Problem: LLL required a Material Data Safety Sheet (MDS) for the Cube's paint. This proved challenging as most of NeXT's hardware division had been laid off. Garfinkel eventually tracked down the information through a third-party finishing company, confirming the paint was a non-toxic Sherwin-Williams product.
An Unexpected Failure: On the day of the burn, the team discovered the Cube's magnesium alloy was specifically designed to be difficult to ignite. A MAP gas torch and even a powerful oxygen-acetylene torch failed to create a sustained flame, only melting small holes in the metal.
Escalating the Fire: The LLL team brought in a large, natural gas-powered burner. Even in the roaring flames, the Cube's case merely softened, bubbled, and collapsed without properly catching fire, which the author compared ironically to the struggles of the NeXT hardware business itself.
Delayed Ignition: After being reduced to a smoldering pile of slag, the remains of the first cube finally burst into a brilliant, self-sustaining magnesium fire. However, the shape was no longer recognizable as a computer.
The Backup Plan: To get the desired photograph, Garfinkel retrieved a backup Cube (serial number AA001032, stripped from an office machine). This second Cube was placed directly onto the intensely hot, burning slag of the first.
A Symbolic Climax: The second Cube ignited almost instantly. The sight of the iconic black cube collapsing into the flames provided the perfect, albeit melancholic, image. Garfinkel found this "collapsing metal failure" to be a more accurate representation of NeXT's fate than his original vision of a triumphant fire.
Summary of Hacker News Discussion
The Hacker News discussion about the article focused on several key themes:
Nostalgia for Old Internet Writing: Several commenters noted that the long-form, detailed, and meandering narrative style was characteristic of early internet content from the USENET and BBS era. They found it had more "character" than modern, concise web writing.
Appreciation of the Narrative: Many users enjoyed the story as a "slow burn," praising the author's focus on the real-world bureaucratic and technical challenges he faced in trying to achieve a simple goal. One user compared the writing style to that of author Neal Stephenson.
Critique of the Style: A dissenting commenter found the story to be boring and unnecessarily long, particularly the paragraphs detailing the author's phone calls to various agencies.
Clarifications and Factual Contributions: Users pointed out the link to the photos of the burn, which was located in the first line of the article. Another clarified that the "you" mentioned in the memo referred to the editor, Dan Ruby, to whom the memo was addressed.
Historical and Technical Context: One user reminisced about NeXT's hardware history, speculating that the company's fate might have been different if Steve Jobs had chosen a MIPS processor instead of the Motorola 68030.