Here is my personal "power-loss-story" and it has nothing to do with a power-button:
Back around 2000 i was working for a data center, which - nothing really unusual - had a large ~1000hp diesel generator to back up its UPS. This diesel was tested every year once by switching it on for 2 minutes. Everything worked fine.
Now, what happens if you run such a system for two minutes a year? Disaster struck and showed to the responsible people exactly what happens in such a case: during a heavy thunderstorm the nearby transformer station (or, specifically, its large 6m-diameter capacitor was hit by a lightning. The whole area was suddenly without electrical current and the remains of the capacitor lay across half of the street in pieces not bigger than a few centimeters each.
First, our UPS kicked in - as planned. Then, when the UPS batteries went low, the diesel started. It ran for about 5-6 minutes, then stuck with a piston seizure because running keeps such a machine lubed. When it doesn't run all the bearings eventually run dry of oil. So far, so bad and our data center stood without electrical power.
What makes the story interesting, though, is: at the same time adear friend of mine (
shockneck) worked for another data center across the street. So, two days after the incident, we sat in a cafe commiserating about life as an admin. And he told me, they had a UPS, backed by a diesel. And because they knew that engines have to run every now and then to remain properly lubed they switched it on every month and let it run for 10 minutes. Alas, their diesel gave up a few minutes after starting. You know, when letting it run so often you need to refill the tank now and then.....
bakunin