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eng-tips promoting laziness? 6

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nickelkid

nickelkid

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Jan 8, 2003
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I can't be the only on who has these thoughts. Do people own and/or read/study handbooks anymore? Why is it that individuals want (or need) to be spoon feed? Etc…

I realize: that mentoring on the job is not what it once was, immediate gratification is an epidemic in the world today, and eng-tips helps me (I am very glad it exists and is active).

With that said, are eng-tips promoting (contributing to) laziness?

NB My underlying objective of this thread is to improve myself when dealing with others when I rightly or wrongly perceive laziness or lack of qualifications. I know I am not alone.

Thank you.
 
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ctopher,

You sold your treadmill!!! What are you going to hang your clothing on then?

And no I don't think Eng-Tips promotes laziness. It gives me motivation to superficially gloss over my work and troll around on this site.

Seriously, I learn a great deal just reading about the technical problems that are discussed by others. I can't really post any serious engineering issues I happen to be working on since it involves structures in litigation.



"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"
 
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I don't think Eng-Tips promotes laziness! I think my job promotes laziness and the Eng-Tips gives me a constructive way to use the extra time I have because of it....

David
 
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I don't think Eng-Tips promotes laziness. I read/write during my lunch break, not on the clock. It may not be the equivilent of getting a FE or PE Exam practice book and working out problems on lunch, but it gets at some issues that aren't in the textbooks.

I find many posts to be questions for clarification, interpetation, or a depth beyond what the textbook, manuals, and similar resources often cover. I know a while back there was a discussion about if it made any sense to have a split lockwasher with a flat washer underneath. That's not something that is typically discussed in a textbook. I've also seen questions such as "What has anybody used for the capture velocity of exhaust fumes in ventilation?" Typically, I presume that the posters has a knowledge of how to design ductwork and such, but there is a piece of information missing. Yes, there are books that give a typical value, but how much is that trusted? The extra piece that another individual might be able to offer such as, "(Insert reference) states a velocity of 2000fpm, but in a particular project I had I used this value and it didn't seem to be sufficient. We had to increase the fan speed and I'd figure the velocity was at 2500fpm when we were satisfied."

Typically it seems the most interesting and the best response come when somebody has interpetation or there is a vague area in the data. I don't often see people asking for a "do it for me" response. Drawing on others experience and/or mistakes is not lazy, it's smart. Eng-Tips is just another watercooler for us to gather around and discuss.

Another type of post that I see is a rant or somebody asking for advice on what to do in a particular situation. I don't have any psychology or social interaction texts, and don't think I'd trust them if I did. Again, Eng-Tips offers a place to discuss the issue and (for myself at least) assure individuals that many engineers will have issues with customers/bosses/vendors at some point and it's no big deal.

-- MechEng2005
 
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I find eng-tips to do quite the opposite. When things are slow in the office, I feel it is my responsibility to learn as much on my own as possible.

Experience is perhaps the single best learning tool available. In dealing with welding/metallurgy, there is only so much you can read about in texts and manuals. The learning comes from dealing with modern materials and modern problems that are dealt with as it comes. In reading eng-tips, I am granted the opportunity to read about those who have experienced these problems, the do's and don'ts of how to approach it, and I am that much more adequately prepared to face this problem should I ever find myself in that situation.

Of course, I would rather be on-site experiencing and dealing with these issues in person, learning by doing. However, I don't choose when and where I'm placed in the field. I still spend a lot of time at this desk, and eng-tips enables me to make the best of it.
 
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Mr168: someone famous once said that only an idiot learns from their mistakes- smart people learn from the mistakes of OTHERS!

We agree that in a sense, THAT'S what Eng-Tips is for! Calibrating your own commonsense with the experience of others. You need a critical mind and a sound knowledge of the fundamentals to properly benefit from this source of information, but you do for ALL information sources anyway.
 
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Just because several people (whom nobody knows or can prove their credentials) gangs up against an idea, doesn't make their decision correct. "Herd engineering" is bad enough when you know who you're speaking to, let alone people addicted to posting on internet chat boards.

The nature of a post board is not appropriate for many topics I see floating around on here.
 
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"The nature of a post board is not appropriate for many topics I see floating around on here."

Have you got any good examples of that, I'm a bit surprised by "many".

Cheers

Greg Locock

SIG:please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
 
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I think we can get a good idea of someone's credentials by the quality of their previous posts, especially when the subject is one where we have good knowledge.

To be here we are supposed to be engineers, and as such we should have he skills and knowledge to asses the wrth of the information posted.

Regards

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
 
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B16A2-

I would like you to point out one example where more than two or three people agreed on one solution or direction, of which you disagree.

I have to respectfully disagree with you.

V
 
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This is getting embarrassing. A months supply of stars all for a few glib comments in a soft forum I seldom visit.

Regards

eng-tips, by professional engineers for professional engineers
Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.
 
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The technical grip, experience, wisdom, wit and eagerness to help others, of the forum-addicts of the all these forums is a certain evidence of their sheer laziness.

Only if I could work and live without this herd!

Ciao.
 
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