Can anyone supply supporting documentation for the 'Battle Short switch' example in the Real Life section?
I looked it up, but everything I can find says that the 'battle short' switch is a feature on some - not all - military computer systems and power generators, and it's more of an Override Command or a (deliberate) Failsafe Failure than a Self-Destruct Mechanism: it bypasses all fuses, breakers, and thermal cutouts. It is intended to be activated when going into battle, when you'd rather risk the equipment melting than have it shut down 'for safety' at a critical moment. Tripping it may be part of the procedure for destroying equipment that might be captured, but it won't do it by itself - it's not inherently destructive to the equipment.
Edit: Also, it's not impossible to cancel as is claimed.
Edited by 216.99.32.43
The Black Arachnia self-destruction thing: I thought she was holding an energon cube at the time and threatening to crack it open, blowing her to pieces and since Tarantulus was in her head, would take him along with her.
The picture really should be of Heinz Doofenzmetz