OT - Monitors - TFT v. CRT

[IMM]

For observing and knowing? Why would I?

< snip tripe >

Me go? If you don't like it, then....

[The Natural Philosopher]

Only in jumped up technical colleges where its not to be expected that you will be taught to think for yourself.

The ordinary degree at cambridge is in engineering only.

Covering everything from building bridges via heat engines to electronics.

Only the masters degree specialises, by dropping mechanical engineering in favour of e.g. microwave waveguide analysis.

[The Natural Philosopher]

No thanks. Bloody tensor calculus. Yuk.

[Christian McArdle]

You'll find that once you get past a certain level, there isn't actually much difference between engineering disciplines. It is basically mathematics. There's not much difference in the mathematic contortions required to design a bridge to resist wind loads as compared with designing any other control system (mechanical, electrical or electronic).

It's basically all solving differential equations to the highest order you need. Obviously, there is a certain amount of specialisation into fields, but this is only about 20-30% of the game. About 70-80% is identical between disciplines.

Christian.

[IMM]

Many can adapt to the mathematics of different fields, but designing an electronic board and designing a bridge are miles apart, irrespective of sums.

What planet are you on?

[Christian McArdle]

Well, on the surface this is true. However, when you get to the really deep stuff, you'll find yourself solving the same sort of control theory problems whether you are designing a bridge, or an optimising heating controller. Whether the solution to the control theory problem is made of steel, transistors or x86 assembly language is just window dressing.

Christian.

[IMM]

You oversimplify.

[Andy Hall]

Exactly.

Also with engineering an important factor is identifying and dealing with the issues that are going to have the major effects on the outcome, while being aware of the others and being satisfied that they are not. This is partly discipline specific, but largely not.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Andy Hall]

The point is that equipped with the educational backgound, it is possible for an individual to embark on a career doing either and to adapt to doing completely new things. Since the core of what is required is the same, and many of the thought processes, it is perfectly possible.

One that understands the enduring nature of education based on how to think, I would imagine.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Andy Hall]

I don't think so. The issue is whether the person knows where and how to find the information and how to apply it.

It's a dangerous position to be in to have expert knowledge in a specific technology area but not understand the basis of it and therefore not be able to migrate to the next technology or something to the side.

The basic principles remain the same.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[IMM]

OK, a board designer joins Ove Arup as a bridge designer. How long will it be before he does anything useful at all? I would say about 5 years, and only after course on bridge building. You make sound as if all these snotty uni people can just flit from one field to another and mater it in weeks. Please get real.

See above

[Andy Hall]

Nobody said weeks, or any other timescale.

Personally, I have done analogue, digital, RF, power and microprocessor systems design - hardware, machine code, assembler, C and other high level language development; control systems, audio and video systems. I've then designed and used real time and other operating systems, networking since before ethernet and IP became commonplace and datacomms, mainframe and minicomputer environments..... Apart from engineering, I've done support, sales, marketing and run businesses successfully.

I could have stayed on a path of designing microprocessor based control systems and to an extent been perfectly happy with it. However, it never occurred to me that there should be a limit on finding out and doing more so I have.

I use the principles of how to go about thinking and finding information every day. If I needed to go and design a control system, I could find the relevant information and apply it extremely quickly.

That's very real.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[IMM]

message

All related in some way. Now this bridge building.

[Andy Hall]

A very broad range. I'm quite certain that should I ever have an interest in so doing that I could understand bridge building or any other engineering discipline. The basic principles are the same, as are the mathematics required to understand them.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[IMM]

irrespective

Go to Ove Arup and say I want to build bridges. they will say, what, you have an electrical degree? You want to build bridges now? The door is over there sonny boy! As you are being carried over to the door shouting, "but know some sums", they will look in amazement, and ring the clinic.

[Andy Hall]

You are arguing about a point that wasn't being made.

The discussion was about the similar nature of different branches of engineering, especially with respect to the principles and mathematics involved, as well as the principles of university learning and its broad applicability.

I'm sorry if you have difficulty understanding that, but not really surprised.

Why do you think that university degree courses allow students to switch at different stages to other disciplines without restarting if there weren't large common elements?

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[IMM]

You make it sound as it you can fit from bridge building to electronics at will. Please?

[Andy Hall]

No I didn't.

All that I said in essence was that a large proportion of the principles are the same and that a university education helps with adaptability to different fields and new technologies.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Capitol]

I know a number of people who have trained in bridge building and then done electronics, finance, computing. Do these count? Regards Capitol

[geoff]

In message , IMM writes

Your inability not to grasp fairly basic concepts never fails to amaze me