[Zimahl]

Another example people use for the KISS principle is of the 'space pen', where the US spent thousands/millions developing a pen that works in space whereas the Soviets used a pencil. However, almost none of the story is true. Regardless, it gets repeated over and over.

[bumby]

I have heard the real reason was to avoid electrical shorts. Pencils inevitably have bits of conductive graphite breaking off and floating about, potentially damaging electrical components

[hwayne]

Wikipedia has a great article on this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writing_in_space

[bumby]

Interesting read! Although it isn’t clear what the combustion source is based upon, on-orbit conditions are generally different from STP and combustion effects may not translate

[avip]

We'll be living in a pretty dull place if only true stories were allowed.

[Jon_Lowtek]

Bashir: "Of all the stories you told me, which ones were true and which ones weren't?"

Garak: "My doctor, they're all true."

Bashir: "Even the lies?"

Garak: "Especially the lies."

[Sharlin]

Uh, false dichotomy. The problem is fictional stories that are propagated as truthful because they reinforce people's biases and/or advance somebody's agenda.

[rusk]

Never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn.

I personally take this to mean that sometimes its the overall message a story is conveying is more important than the specific details.

I don’t believe in faeries, but they are there.

[kyuudou]

Nah, "truth is often stranger than fiction"