> From:    PB <pbrattan@GMAIL.COM>
> Date:    Mon, 28 May 2007 19:24:24 -0700
>
> I bought a few extremely strong magnets at a swap meet recently with
> the same intentions.

Dead computer hard drives also have a good magnet in them - see
http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0704b&L=vanagon&F=&S=&P=11764
for details.

> However, it occurred to me that just by carrying them, if I'm not
> careful, I can mess up my watch,

Mechanical yes.  Digital most likely won't care.

> my credit cards,

Yes.

> my cell phone,

No.

> my GPS,

No, unless it has a magnetic compass in it.  (If it can give you a
reliable bearing when it's not moving, it has a magnetic compass in it.
Very few consumer GPSes have this.)

> my PDA,

No.

> and my computer,

Most likely not.  If you were lucky you might scramble some bits on the
hard drive, but it won't physically damage the motherboard, keyboard,
display, etc.

> not to mention parts of the van that I don't even know about!

The only place inside the van that I can think of offhand that wouldn't
like magnets might be some of the gauges.  Simple way to tell: start the
engine, hold the magnet three or four feet away from the gauges, and
slowly bring it closer.  If you can reliably make the pointers move by
doing this, then keep magnets away from the gauges.

Matt Roberds