When is enoug a enough 2

[GOTWW]

This is a cool site and all that. But, everything is best in moderation. My self, a bit internalverted and engineering inclined has found that this is a vise, not unlike any other work place vise, you know, phones, BS'ing etc.

How do the "normal" people deal with this? Once a week? once a day?, or every 1/2 microsecond as I sometimes do. It is like I am a bug caught in a spider web. Worried about the "SEEers" looking through my every keystroke at my work-place computer. As I have weak self-control, maybe we need to introduce "eng-tip-holic" intervention measures, or impose a maximum amount of log-ins per microsecond. I have seen others like me, somehow fade away, like jbartos, probably locked up somewhere stark raving mad, entangled into an infinite do-loop of web-site addresses.

 

[TheTick]

As you can tell from the sheer quantity of my posts, I am hooked.

I do a lot of things at my job that give me moments to pause and dive into the web for a moment, like running an FEA or switching gears between design projects.

I've decided that I really don't care what the corporate spyware is telling the front office about me. Compared to some of the other web cr@p that turns up on my neighbors' screens, I have little to worry about. If you're a "producer", they don't care. If they want to fire you, they will just find a reason no matter what.

"An object at rest can not be stopped."

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

 

[MadMango]

I'm addicted as well.

I think if you feel a degration of your work performance, then only you will know when enough is enough. Like [blue]TheTick[/blue], I don't care what the snoops say I am doing. I can easily justify visiting this site due to the sheer amount of information and colaboration available.

I see many monitors at work with eBay and worse things brought up, I don't worry about visiting Eng-Tips.

[green]"But what... is it good for?"[/green]
Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[ctopher]

This site is a tool. I also see it as free training somewhat. This is my justification. It has also helped me become the No1 user in the company, as I was told by mngmt.

 

[GOTWW]

user or abuser? Have you caught yourself doing research on some obscure subject, for the benefit of some stranger, that in many cases I believe, does not have the comprehension to understand the elegant solution you have just provided for (him/her). What is to be gained, it provides personel satisfaction I agree, but at what expense!, This I would say is your deadline for the braindead engineering drudgery at hand.

 

[corus]

It is a fallacy to think that efficiency/productivity is gained by simply putting your head down and working for a solid 8 hours, or whatever. Much more can be gained by communicating with your colleagues, or as with this site, with others in your field. Even if you are helping some hapless person in some far flung place, you are reinforcing your knowledge or even perhaps learning more yourself by doing that research that they can't be bothered to do. All helps in improving your work. That's my excuse anyway.

corus

 

[JAE]

corus - exactly what I was going to say ... I do spend a bit of time on here, but my knowledge and sharpness hsa increased greatly by my participation on this site, enhancing my value, and thus my firm's value, in engineering.

 

[Ron]

Exactly...I echo Corus and JAE's remarks. As a member of management as well as being a "working engineer" I encourage staff to use Eng-Tips. I am convinced that greater good comes of this interaction and I'm not worried about the minor lapse in productivity, utilization, or any other moniker attributed to our financial necessities.

Above all else, as engineers we are bound to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. This means that we have to be good at what we do. Any interaction that increases our competence as engineers is good for us as individuals, as companies, and the public.

Having the ability to toss out ideas and have them either validated or crucified by some of the most knowledgeable engineers in the world is invaluable. No one has that complete resource within their companies, regardless of the size. As a frequent user and contributor I can tout the individual benefits. As a manager I can rationalize the need for staff to interact in this same way. Besides, it would be a bit disingenuous of me to use it and not allow others in our organization to use it!

 

[IRstuff]

It's always been a hallmark of a subject matter expert to be able to explain a subject to someone else and have that other person understand. Often, it's easy to understand something yourself, but it's difficult to get someone else to understand it at all.

Thus, even if you are an expert, your ability and practice in explaining ideas and concepts to others who are not as knowledgeable can only further improve your own understanding of your field.

Additionally, we often take stabs at trying to answer questions outside our own "comfort zone." Again, that can only help to improve and expand your horizon.

TTFN

 

[GOTWW]

I am starting to get the trend, and actually it horrifies me on this Hollowed night. (Yes, I did the normal rituals too, setting the old 5-1/4” floppies on fire and braking the bad silicon wafers on the brick wall). But As a fact of the matter, it is .. The job interview “ and So Mr. So in So, what is your handle on eng-tips”, Or to save time just make it a part of the job application process. (Think I am Whack-O, Think Again!), the time has comet, and the sinners have no respite!

 

[Ron]

GOTWW....I think there is an appropriate answer if asked in an interview about your opinion on the use of Eng-Tips (or other internet resources). I would respond in the following:

Eng-Tips is a tremendous resource to supplement the internal resources of any engineering firm, but much like personal phone calls, water cooler chats, and smoke breaks, it has its limits between use and abuse. It is up to the company to provide its guidelines and up to the employee to follow them. If guidelines are not given then the definition of use/abuse gets blurred and can result in inappropriate assumptions or decisions on either side.

 

[HgTX]

It increases the productivity of everyone around me, because I can do this instead of going to chat with them when I need to get my brain away from work. (Non-smokers are at a disadvantage when it comes to sanctioned excuses to wander away from the desk.)

Seriously, when I first found this I spent a lot of time on it, catching up. Now it's manageable--I can scan for relevant new threads in a couple of minutes. Entirely social communication I save for home.

Hg

 

[chris9]

Two heads are better than one. Hundreds of heads is even better. That's my justification.

 

[jsummerfield]

The information found on eng-tips or any other web forum is questionable at best. The web can also be checked from the house.

John

 

[HgTX]

Of course any info found here needs to be verified. If I'm just looking for technical info, I do that on work time, not on my time (unless I'm feeling particularly compulsive).

Hg

 

[Ron]

jsummerfield...I think you're wrong. The information gets an opportunity for significant peer review. You're more likely to get good information in this format than not. Yes, you still have to pick the right answer, but in most cases you are led to it by some very knowledgeable people.

 

[GregLocock]

jsummerfield, in my opinion the /consensus/ of a thread is often a very good summary of the current state of the art, and far better than the generalist rubbish written in 'technical' journals by journalists. I agree that text books are more authoritative, especially once they have been corrected. So, have you ever corrected a textbook? Plug'n'chuggers should be horrified by the number of errors in a textbook. Luckily they'll be able to point to the equation in the book when the bridge falls down.



Cheers

Greg Locock

 

[GGOSS]

Howdy,

I subscribe to approx 5 forums on eng-tips and am an administrator on another similar site

http://www.lmphotonics.com/forum.

I try to limit viewing/participation to once or twice per day. Generally that would be at around 9:00am (on company time) whilst sitting down for my first cup of coffee and again at 6:30 or 7:00pm before I depart for home. Times quoted are Australian Eastern Standard for those of you who might be interested.

I think you know enough is enough when you find yourself responding for the sake of responding in stead of doing so to add value. If you make it about quality (and not quantity) I don't think you will ever find yourself questioning whether you have reached that stage.

I am also in a managerial position and encourage staff to actively participate. As many have already indicated above, justifying 'good' use of eng-tips is not a problem.

Regards,
GGOSS
PS: Have I added any value to this thread?

 

[Ron]

Greg...exactly right! I have served as a technical reviewer of textbooks and sometimes they don't even get close, yet because it is written (and sometimes into its 2nd, 3rd, or 4th edition with the same mistakes) and purchased for use by unknowing students and sometimes unknowing professors, it is considered "authoritative".

The "authoritative" argument sometimes comes up in the course of litigation. The Attorney's query will usually take the form of: "Sir, do you consider this reference to be "authoritative"?" (Because usually he has found some snippet to take out of context to help his case)....a loaded question since if you say "Yes", then everything in the book is taken as absolute fact! If you say no, then you create an argument between you and the author that is difficult to continue without the author present and you get the Attorney "sitting" in and incorrectly interpreting the author's intent!. My reply is usually along the line...."The reference makes certain points that when taken in the context of this application can be correct, but can also be misinterpreted to reinforce an erroneous conclusion".