This article is from the comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video Frequently Asked Questions, by Michael Scott with numerous contributions by others. (v1.0).
Smoking is just as bad for monitors as for people and usually more quickly terminal.
White acrid smoke may indicate a failed electrolytic capacitor in the power supply probably in conjunction with a shorted rectifier. Needless to say, pull the plug at once.
 
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