Author Topic: All engineers please read  (Read 1754 times)

Offline Don1966

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All engineers please read
« on: January 03, 2020, 03:55:52 AM »
I have no intention of insulting are offending any one before I start so please bare with me. I been on this forum since it started. This forum has been one of the best places to learn and I have benefited plenty from all of you. But I feel that somethings has to be said. When I post or reply to post from questions asked I try to present it in terms that all can understand. Let me clear this I do it because not all members are engineers. All of us are here to learn and some of us are more educated then others in varies degrees of crafts and trades. We don’t want to make others feel like they are not as smart as we are that’s not the intention but to help others learn from our knowledge. To post engineer terms which no one else understands is not a way to help others learn or show how smart we are because all of us are all equal and have the same ability to learn.  Not all of us had the privilege or could afford to have that education. It is my intention to ask for some to tone down the explanations and try to do it is terms others can benefit after all that’s why we are all here to learn from each other and that’s what makes this forum so great. Not to make others feel bad because they don’t understand what is presented. So I am asking please tone it down to make all feel comfortable and can learn because there are ways to explain things without going into high level term and making others look bad.

With all respect

Don

Offline 10KPete

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2020, 04:15:32 AM »
Don, you have had my respect for a long time. I see no reason for it to diminish.

Pete
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Offline Jo

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2020, 07:16:49 AM »
If you feel unsure of something  e.g. the use of a technical term or what they have done, please do what I do: ask the poster to explain. We are all here to help each other and there is no shame in asking for an explanation as it is an important engineering skill to be able to explain something in terms everyone technical or not can understand.  :)

Having said that it always surprises me how much people understand and how quickly they pick things up: When my Mum visited the other day she went away understanding the differences between the Stirling cycle and how a flame Gulper works  :ThumbsUp:

Jo
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Offline Ian S C

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2020, 10:09:21 AM »
You did well Jo, half the engimeers I know don't understand either type. Just don't be put off asking dumb questions.
Ian S C

Offline deltatango

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2020, 10:17:08 AM »
Hi Chris,
I'll be following along as well. Watching how a very skilled and talented sculptor carves metal is always entertaining and often instructive (or should that be "always instructive and always entertaining"?).

I wish it was possible to buy that 1144 stressproof steel this side of the Pacific.

David
Don't die wondering!

Offline MJM460

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2020, 11:14:23 AM »
Hi Don, one of the really good things about this forum is the lack of disparaging comments about others, the admin and moderators and all of the members are doing a really great job.

We have some real experts here and some real beginners and everyone is always made welcome.  And some of us are experts in one area while at the same time beginners in other areas, so we all have the opportunity to learn something every day. 

Part of learning a subject is learning the language of the subject.  Once that subject is well understood, the language is part of the understanding, and it becomes very difficult to know when terms are used that others do not understand.  This means that part of learning is asking questions.  I don’t think anyone is being deliberately obtuse.

I know that I learn machining and set up techniques, and so much about the importance of the order things is done to facilitate the following operations, not to mention the great variety of ways a part can be made.  And I don’t always fully understand exactly what people are saying.  So I keep reading and learning and should definitely ask more questions.

To make a contribution in return for all I receive, I try and contribute some of my engineering knowledge.  It is inevitable that I will use words or give an explanation that some don’t understand, maybe even nobody understands, but I always welcome questions and will always try and express the idea in different words to try and make it accessible to everyone interested.  And what I see is others also doing their best to help everyone being better informed.

Don you have contributed so much in your knowledge of soldering and metal polishing and those are just the most visible aspects of the beautiful engines you have made.  And I will be going back to your posts on gear cutting and the spreadsheets you have posted, when I eventually get the courage to try gear cutting.

Right up there with “ no such thing as a silly question” is similar, “the only people who don’t need to ask a question are those who already know it all!  Unfortunately some of us, including me, are still a bit shy about asking questions.  I am sure if any one of us has a question, there are almost certainly others wondering about the same thing.

So probably guilty as charged, Don, but definitely no offence taken. 

MJM460

Yes, I know, too many words in my usual style, but I hope I have been clear to all.  However, questions welcome.
The more I learn, the more I find that I still have to learn!

Offline AVTUR

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2020, 11:50:48 AM »
Don

I apologise and should not try to defend my actions.

Engineering, as with most jobs, professions and everything else, is full of words which most would only find in dictionaries. It is up to us to try to define and explain these. This is one reason for a forum.

I have to say there are two things that, thankfully, do not frequently appear on this forum - acronyms and abbreviations.

AVTUR

[If you have to use an acronym you should/must define it. AVTUR - AViation TURbine fuel, that is kerosene]
There is no such thing as a stupid question.

Offline propforward

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2020, 01:46:31 PM »
I agree with MJM460, and feel the same way. Is there some specific comment somewhere that has caused frustration? I don't see anyone "talking down" to anyone else here, which is why I like the forum. Seems like a lot of good interaction from a lot of different people with different backgrounds across international boundaries, and all interested in the same thing. Since the hobby is so closely tied to engineering, engineering terms that not everyone is familiar with are bound to occur on a pretty frequent basis I think - but I've not seen any evidence of anyone using the terms to try and "one up" or belittle anyone.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2020, 02:13:34 PM »
Hello everyone,

I also agree with MJM460 and propforward. This is the most gracious, friendly and sharing group of folks that I have had the pleasure to be associated with.

Have a great day,
Thomas
Thomas

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2020, 02:43:13 PM »
Hi All, When I make my models I am always looking for the correct words/nomenclature to describe the parts that I make. this is sometimes difficult when reaching out to the whole world where the names of items are quite different...ie   Hood = Bonnet.   Trunk = Boot when talking about cars/autos.   Gas/petrol   yards/meter's  etc etc  still we try our best......I also find  Senior Moments starting to creep in !!!!.  Also humour and spelling of words can be quite different across the globe .  So I think we do cope quite well on this forum ,actually.

Willy

Offline crueby

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2020, 03:20:59 PM »
It is an easy thing to do, using the specific technical terms and jargon of an engineering (or any other) field when describing something you are familiar with that others may not. A fair number of times I have asked for clarification of things on posts that used terms I did not understand, always got a friendly reply explaining the terms. Hope that always continues here!

Online mklotz

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2020, 03:42:30 PM »
Yes to...

When an author use an unusual or obscure term or acronym, he should define it at its first use.  (This has been a fundamental rule in technical writing for as long as I can remember.)

In the absence of the above, by all means ask; most of the folks here are ready and willing to explain.

but understand...

Authors cannot predict the knowledge level of everyone who reads their submissions.  Sacrificing clarity of expression to the lowest common denominator of understanding is not the way to go.

Readers have a responsibility to make an effort to answer their own questions.  The internet is the richest source of information ever compiled and made easily available to the public.  Learning to use it is the best educational skill you can develop.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2020, 05:52:48 PM by mklotz »
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Offline GWRdriver

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2020, 04:52:01 PM »
Sacrificing clarity of expression to the lowest common denominator of understanding is not the way to go.
What Marv said.

I have a friend who is the host and producer of a popular "local interest" television program, where they go out into the state and explore interesting destinations, sometimes industrial curiosities, mills and such.  One such popular episode was a visit to our club track on a meet weekend, but the technological content was essentially (and intentionally), -0-.  I once suggested that he should initiate a program about "hobbies", or professions, especially those that involved an increased level of craftsmanship and technological interest, but that approach, he said, would intimidate many potential viewers unless the product content could be reduced to the cognitive level of a 6-8 year old.  Very sad commentary.
Cheers,
Harry

Offline jadge

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2020, 08:25:22 PM »
As an engineer I've read the original post, but don't agree with some of it, or understand the need for it.

I don't post here very often, not least because my professional interests are electronics and signal processing, neither of which are particularly relevant to the forum. I don't know who the original post was aimed at, but from my perspective I can save any feelings of embarrassment, for whatever reason, by not bothering to post.

Andrew

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: All engineers please read
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2020, 02:32:56 AM »
Yes to...

When an author use an unusual or obscure term or acronym, he should define it at its first use.  (This has been a fundamental rule in technical writing for as long as I can remember.)

In the absence of the above, by all means ask; most of the folks here are ready and willing to explain.

but understand...

Authors cannot predict the knowledge level of everyone who reads their submissions.  Sacrificing clarity of expression to the lowest common denominator of understanding is not the way to go.

Readers have a responsibility to make an effort to answer their own questions.  The internet is the richest source of information ever compiled and made easily available to the public.  Learning to use it is the best educational skill you can develop.

Well said Marv. It's definitely a 2 way street.

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

 

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