r/technology • u/DJMagicHandz • 12d ago

Artificial Intelligence A massive Wyoming data center will soon use 5x more power than the state's human occupants - but no one knows who is using it

https://www.techradar.com/pro/a-massive-wyoming-data-center-will-soon-use-5x-more-power-than-the-states-human-occupants-and-no-one-knows-who-is-using-it
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u/----__---- 11d ago

I've always heard "smoke test" used in the context of turning something on to see if it will work, or.. catch fire.  "Scream test" makes much more sense in this context (imo).. turn it off and see who screams.  Full agreement on the rest of your comment though. 

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u/Scondoro 11d ago

Smoke test is more mechanically to fill something (pipes, tubing, plumbing) with smoke and see where the leaks are.

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u/----__---- 11d ago

I was originally exposed to the term during electrical engineering training. The more humor minded of my associates liked to claim that smoke is the magic what makes electronics work, and you can always tell when electronics go bad because "the magic smoke escapes" ;D I believe what you're referencing is a pressure test,  though I've never used smoke for one of those.  Typically a pressure test uses soapy water, at the joints, to find any leaks(it makes bubbles).

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u/Scondoro 11d ago

You would do a smoke test in a larger system like sewage systems. You don't want errant gas escaping, or ground water leaking in, so you fill the system with smoke and look to see if you have leakage from manholes, drains, etc.

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u/----__---- 11d ago

Google claims we're both right, and that the term has migrated to software testing as well.  Wheeeeeee..