Crazy things you've heard from ppl  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mrkev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2013, 11:56:16 pm
content: I'm not sure if this is the right place, but It's the best I could find on whole forum.I'm currently working as a shop assistant in one of local shops with electronics. We usually sell stuff to people from small businesses or to radio/electro fans. As the christmas are getting closer, ppl that never heard a thing about electricity are more and more common.To the topic. I had a customer today, that wanted capacitor with 470 "ultra Fahrenheits", you wouldn't guess how hard is to tell someone that this new power source with 12v/1A is OK even tho his old had 12V/0,5A; some people will go back to return LEDs as half of them 'didn't work' (because customer doesn't know that they have polarity), "do you have LED for 4 volts?" is quite a common question, so is "Do you have a 12V transformer" (but meaning DC stabillized power source), some people tryed to charge an alcaline AA battery (with NiCd charger) and then claimed return of many because "charger didn't work", some have to order a specific diode (even tho it's a basic rectifying), because our replacement surely woudn't work, some are combining TTL and CMOS parts and they are wery angry when you tell them that this won't work together and more...Does anyone else have experience like that? Anyway i just wanted to get it out

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 12:26:45 am
content: Heh. It's good to hear that us software guys aren't the only ones that have to deal with a barrage of clueless inquiries. And humbling too: it's all too easy to ridicule the people asking the questions, but reading your post, I realize that as soon as I'm out of my field of expertise, I might just ask one of those questions that make you go.The last issue I dealt with that made me gowas my boss asking me why he couldn't delete users from our finance app. The DB of course doesn't allow it because it would break referential integrity (and I didn't use CASCADE there because it could lead to loss ofa lotof data, which end user probably didn't expect because he usually doesn't think more than 1 step ahead. Were people more careful before undo was invented?) So it's a bit more complicated. And it is that way because a year ago they decided to use a quick fix that I told them was a bad idea then, which meant that one of my colleagues ended up with three user accounts.Stuff like that annoys me because it creates admin work for me. I'm not an admin, stuff like that just ends up with me because we don't have a proper dedicated position for those tasks. Everyone seems to think that as soon as software's related to a problem, I'm the go to guy, no matter whether it's implementing the firmware for a new tachyon beam emitter (yay!) or just updating their virus scanner (meh.)So that's my source of frustration. Still, I try not to let it show, I want to be helpful and make them feel welcome. I do it because otherwise people tend to hide problems or make them worse by trying to fix them themselves. You probably do it because you want them to come back to your store and give you more money

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 12:36:50 am
content: Quote from: mrkev on December 17, 2013, 11:56:16 pmThis is the root of almost every customer service trouble. People who get angry all the time for no reasonsuck. I mean, really,reallysuck. Please, people, before you go deal with the dude behind the counter, take a deep breath, count to ten, get laid, have a smoke, whatever the hell it takes you not to be the spawn of Satan.I can deal with the deepest depths of human stupidity with a cheerful face... until you start cussing and ranting and yelling at me because it's my fault your mother dropped you on your fat head too many times and now you can't figure out your shitty Chinese widget.

author: mrkev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:15:29 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on December 18, 2013, 12:26:45 amWell i have a lot of patience, but it's not endless... However I don't have problem with people asking stupid questions, I'm glad that they are even asking, especially if they show some enthusiasm.The problem is that somethimes they ask, but don't wanna hear the answer, or simply don't understand it, but act like they do. Some ppl even think that you wanna rob them or something (if you recomend like 50cents more expencive part, that will be f.e. better for that voltage/power)Another thing is when you have five people like this in a row

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:24:16 am
content: ID-ten-t problem ..or a problem with the customers Local User account : L-USER ... LOSER

author: liquibyte
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:34:56 am
content: I used to call it a capacitator. In my defense, I was 8 at the time and was never told what it was, I just misread it.

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:36:23 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on December 18, 2013, 01:24:16 amAbuse is the path to the dark side.Abuse leads to embarassment. Embarassment leads to withdrawal. Withdrawal leads to problems getting out of hand unchecked. Unchecked problems lead to suffering.

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:37:14 am
content: Yeah, watch out for those tattalium capacitators [ what a customer called them ]

author: mrkev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:53:50 am
content: Quote from: notsob on December 18, 2013, 01:37:14 amBtw. With those "ultra Fahrenheits", I've burst into laughter, just couln't ceep the straight face...

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 02:35:09 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on December 18, 2013, 01:36:23 amAbuse is the path to the dark side.Abuse leads to embarassment. Embarassment leads to withdrawal. Withdrawal leads to problems getting out of hand unchecked. Unchecked problems lead to suffering.you don;t explain to the customer that 'Local User Account' stands for L-USER ... inside IT joke

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 02:46:33 am
content: Oh dear. I had a person come to my house before, point to my oscilloscope and ask if that was my multimeter. He saidQuoteI told him that no, it was an oscilloscope, and that it shows voltage over time. I get this replyQuote

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 03:01:54 am
content: In Brazil inductors used to be called "chokes", but since the pronunciation in portuguese is the same as "shock", it was a lot of fun seeing people asking for a "shock" of 47 micro Hertz (yeah, that other too).In fact, depending on the level of EE education one could be easily confused at the local shops:An EE student with no technical background would ask for "an inductor with j?47? ohms"An EE student with a notion of real devices would ask for "an inductor of 0,05 + j47? ohms"An EE student with a bit more technical background would ask for "an inductor of 47 micro Henries"An EE student with technical background or a technician would ask for: "a choke of 47 micro Henries"A clueless person would ask for "a shock of 47 micro Hertz"Only the last two would get their part. The first two would get a confused look and the last one would get a laugh from the seller. I have seen all four happening.Another common thing was to specify bulbs in "candles" (velas in portuguese) instead of Watts. I guess it was the layman's way to explain what the writings 40W, 60W, 100W meant...

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 03:46:37 am
content: Quote from: c4757p on December 18, 2013, 12:36:50 amI agree - there are a lot of entitled dickheads out there who feel that any shop assistant is there to grovel for them.On the other hand, I hate idiotic shop assistants. A few weeks back I needed something and Radio Shack had it in stock, I think it was an electronic enclosure. There were 2 radio shacks, both closed in 20 minutes, both were in different directions, and were 10 minutes away from me, so I called the first to be sure it was in stock, even though their website said it was in stock.Guy answers, I tell him I am looking for part number ABC-123, it's an enclosure, just want to check if it's in stock. He immediately replies "no, we don't have that in stock". But it's on your website, I reply... "nope, website just lists everything in stock, it's not to be relied upon". I got angry and asked him how he could know it was not in stock, and he gave me some attitude in return. So i decided to drive there. Of course, when I got there he didn't know I was the guy he talked to by phone - and wanted to know if he could sell me a cell phone or some crap. I said I was all set, went to where the enclosures were, went to the register and asked for the manager and complained about the guy right in front of him.I was going to a trade show and flying out that night - so it was *really* important that I had that part, and this douchebag kid was too busy texting or whatever to do his job. That sort of stuff seems to happen a lot... you get the answer that they think will get you to leave them alone the quickest, without regard to accuracy, or to your time, or to quality, etc. Not always, but way too often these days.

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 03:59:08 am
content: This should be a fun threadI have been working in a computer shop doing repairs and sales for the last 10 years and I have had some pretty funny customer interactions. I think if you work in any area with direct customer interaction as long as it is somewhat technical you will get some pretty weird requests if you are in the job long enough.I have had a few occasions where customers complain "I never had a problem with viruses until I bought this antivirus software!". There is no easy non confrontational way to react to that since they are quite angry and not behaving very rationally. Luckily it comes up only rarely.Had 2 computers brought in for problems after the customer bought and assembled all the parts and it would not work correctly.1. bought AMD based parts in the socket A era, customer managed to fit the heatsink to the motherboard somehow without removing the plastic protection that comes fitted to the bottom of the heatsink as the heatsink comes with paste pre applied. It would have been really hard to get it to clip on.2. bought an intel I7 based system parts and assembled. The computer would run for a short while before cutting power. After removing the heatsink my colleague discovered that the I7 sticker that comes with the CPU (the one you would normally put on the front of the case to show off what is inside your PC) was stuck directly on top of the CPU for some reason. "what the?".Had plenty of people bring in PC or PSU after switching the voltage selector switch to 110V for some reason.The biggest problem I find difficult to deal with is some people who have enough knowledge of technical terms and speak like the know what they are talking about but really don't have a clue. They ask you to perform very specific things thinking that will accomplish what they actually want but what they want is something different. If you do what they ask, they call you and complain that you haven't done what they asked you to do and then you have to figure out what they actually want from an angry person ranting about how you have taken their money and not done your job properly. Luckily you get a feel for these kinds of people over time and if you ask the right questions you can figure out if they know what they are talking about and get an idea of what they actually want. Still some people are very convincing and I still get caught every now and then.Its important to remember that they are bringing you business and your job is to give them a nice experience (if you want them to come back again and recommend you to friends). Some though rare occasions you don't want their business or them to come back but very rare and there are techniques to gently deal with those occasions.There must be heaps more I just can't remember any now. If I remember more I'll post again.

author: cwalex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 04:08:51 am
content: Quote from: Corporate666 on December 18, 2013, 03:46:37 amThats true. Numerous occasions I have had customers come in asking for something like a plug or adapter and I say "go to dick smith, they have what you want" and they replay "no they don't have it, I was just there and they said to come and see you" so I go to there website (I used to work there many years ago for 4 years so I have a pretty good memory of what they do and don't have" and look it up, sure enough they have it so I write down their catalogue number and call the store to ask if they have that exact cat# in stock and they check and say yep, so I just send the customer back with the cat# written down for them.The staff just don't know what they have and it is understandable because they don't pay enough to hire knowledgable people and they didn't even years ago when I worked there. Plus there range is so big it is too much for staff to know about every item but they should still give good customer service and try to do a good job, the least they can do is check stock availability if you have given them a specific item to look for. Still that issue is going away with dick smith as they continue to reduce the electronics related lines. We still have jaycar here that seems to have a somewhat reasonable range if you need something in a hurry, I normally send people to jaycar these days as there is one near us and they seem to have decent staff.

author: ludzinc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 04:15:19 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on December 18, 2013, 02:35:09 amyou don;t explain to the customer that 'Local User Account' stands for L-USER ... inside IT jokeI once was dealing with Telstra here in Australia, to have the support person comment that it might be a pebkac error.When I calmly explained that I was fully aware that the Problem *did_not* Exist Between Keyboard And Chair, he rapidly escalated the call to a manager who was very happy to waive 3 months worth of fees

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 05:09:41 am
content: Quote from: ludzinc on December 18, 2013, 04:15:19 amTrue!

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 09:37:40 am
content: lol, great stories i bet you could get a book full of themi think a lot of this is simply not the person just stopping and thinking, realising its most likely something they are doing wrong... in today's society it's always someone else's fault

author: bookaboo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 09:49:02 am
content: Had a customer return (at my expense) a 2000w inverter, she said it didn't power her 1000w heater. So I test it when it arrives and it runs 1500w for 3 days no problems.So I call her and ask her had anyone checked DC voltage and fuses...- "My husband checked the fuses"- "Ok, what about the DC voltage"- "Voltage? how you check that?"- "At the battery, you may need to ask someone like an electrician if you are unsure"- ".......battery.....what battery?"Both the lady and her husband thought the inverter just ran the heater like some free energy device. Apparently the listing wasn't clear.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 12:52:48 pm
content: We once had a vegetarian visit. When the lid was lifted from the Weber kettle he examined the roasted pork leg and then asked "Is that a chicken or a turkey?".

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:25:56 pm
content: Quote from: GK on December 18, 2013, 12:52:48 pmReminds me of many years ago when I stayed at a small hotel run by a "militantly" vegetarian couple. The sort of annoying people you want to piss off just for fun.I found that on the TV in the room, you could allocate 4-letter names to show onscreen for each channel. These were promptly set to "Pork", "Beef", "Lamb" and "Veal"

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 01:39:39 pm
content: Quote from: mrkev on December 18, 2013, 01:15:29 amOh, you are describing the forum, don't you?

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 02:46:00 pm
content: I remember working at a computer shop 3 years back, and a customer comes in with a broken computer tells me that"my friend told me it was dirty. So I opened the case up and used some water and a brush to clean it up. I told him that you were never supposed to wash a computer that is on with water and even if it is off to not use water. He stares at me with a blank face and starts cussing me out about how youth these days are so disrespectful. I offer to fix it for him, and on the bill, add a $25 fee. On the side, it is labeled *stupidity and disrespect compensation*"

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 03:11:24 pm
content: About a dozen or so years ago, I was at a local auto parts store looking for a new headlight for one of my older cars, the old 6 inch round dual beam types. Kinda hard to find those on the shelf even back then (almost impossible these days).Anyways, one of the guys, younger guy, maybe 25 or so, that worked there came up to me and said "Ya know, you should get one of those new 'hemoglobin' headlights. They're a lot brighter than the old style 'in-candle-scent' types."And me, being the ass that I am, made sure to vocally point out the error of his ways.I don't think my buds and I stopped laughing for a few days afterwards...

author: envisionelec
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 03:35:07 pm
content: Quote from: liquibyte on December 18, 2013, 01:34:56 amYup, my first introduction was at age 8 and I called them Capa-Sitters.

author: Terabyte2007
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 03:45:06 pm
content: A couple years back, we had a client (Self Claimed IT Professional) state that we could not use another ethernet cable in place of a suspected defective cable because he claimed it would not work because the cable addressing would be wrong. It was explained to him that cables to not have MAC addresses, but he argued that it would change the MAC address.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 03:52:13 pm
content: One crazy think I heard recently was speaker cables burn-in. I am aware of Monster cable hype but this one came out of the blue. The guy, which is into expensive audio equipment, mentioned that he me he burnt in his new speaker cable for 500 hours (by playing loud music) and that the improvement in the sound quality was very noticeable to him. He explained that his cables are made of solid copper core and that the burn in 'opens the paths for the electrons'.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 04:00:59 pm
content: Quote from: zapta on December 18, 2013, 03:52:13 pmThe perceived music quality was probably going up because the guy was becoming deaf from listening to 500 hours of loud junk music.

author: Terabyte2007
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 04:24:57 pm
content: Quote from: zapta on December 18, 2013, 03:52:13 pm

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 04:27:58 pm
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on December 18, 2013, 04:00:59 pmAnd, if the cable is placed upside down, the electrons will fall out,

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 04:30:43 pm
content: Not electronic but funny,sort of. When I was training as a watch maker the guy I worked for had an old man come into the shop with a battered Jock alarm clock, these were made in Scotland to a Westclock design. Any way it was not worth the cost of servicing it so the old man was told to try taking it home and oiling it he asked how long and was told it would take us about twenty minuets but he might take an hour. He came back a few days later and proudly told us us that the clock now worked although the dial was a bit faint, and that yes he had needed boil it for an hourI guess one should always make sure customers are not deaf.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 06:52:27 pm
content: That is bad.....Had a woman complain that when I changed her monitor because it had died a quiet death I had deleted all her emails. Was me, not her clicking randomly on mouse and pressing all keys on keyboard..........There is a backup but fuggedaboutit, those emails were not worth it anyway, mostly spam and jokemail. Not going to restore an exchange user just because they can't look at a led that is not glowing. Another will keep key pressed till windows thinks you want acessability turned on, so of course she always messes up menus, turns off toolbars and such, even with click delay set to max.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 08:29:51 pm
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on December 18, 2013, 04:00:59 pmGood point. Expect a new Monster Dummy Speaker Load product for cable burn in..

author: mrkev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 08:44:13 pm
content: Quote from: echen1024 on December 18, 2013, 02:46:00 pmLol. I wish i had a balls for this kind of reaction somethimes

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 09:11:27 pm
content: One day a customer came up to me expressing the wish for deeper power socket face plates. (Schuko sockets, mind you) The old ones didn't fit any more. I did not quite understand what he wanted at first.It turned out he'd tiled the kitchen walls and now all the face plates of his sockets and light switches suddenly and unexplicably had stopped fitting. This honestly was the first time I laughed at a customer, I couldn't stop myself.That moron hadn't removed the sockets and switches from the wall boxes before tiling. So he added about 1,5 cm of grout and tiles and then discovered that things didn't go back together.After my laughing fit was over I explained to him what he'd done wrong and that nobody would be able to help him. Of course he didn't believe me.I gave him two handy hints before he left. He could either cut out the tiles around the power points and have the sockets recessed in the wall - which undoubtedly would look ugly - or he'd have to get the hammer out and knock the tiles back off of the wall.I do not have to tell you neither option found his approval. I think he was pretty shattered and felt the worlds biggest idiot when he left the shop.

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 09:40:33 pm
content: I hear guys who like to think of themselves as having good grasp on electronics stating things like "yes, this power supply has the right voltage but it gives too much current" way too often for it to be funny anymore. Or something among the lines of "you keep the voltage but adjust the current". They tend to think that you can somehow magically control the voltage and current (assuming constant equivalent resistance of the load) completely independent of each other and presumably that you could just happily ignore the Ohm's law because the guy is long dead anyway so who cares or something.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 09:48:39 pm
content: Quote from: david77 on December 18, 2013, 09:11:27 pmI don't quite have a mental picture of what he did - had he taken the original sockets off before tiling.With typical UK outlets, assuming that he took the face plate off prior to tiling he'd just need longer face plate screws - I have some about 7.5cm long for very deeply recessed wall boxes though the longest I've had to use was 6cm.Thinking about a socket like thisthat looks as though it would do with longer screws as well.QuoteQuoteWhile the anecdotes are amusing - and I like them as much as the next man - (especially burning in speaker cables, that was funny) I wonder whether you each lost a customer for ever in those encounters.

author: mrkev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 10:02:36 pm
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on December 18, 2013, 09:48:39 pmWell UK design is a bit different. You have whole socket in one piece and you mount that on the wall. Shurico comes usually in two parts, one is burried inside wall and other is just plastic cover. So if you mount that plastic cover more far away from socket, you will have problem...

author: andtfoot
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 10:05:19 pm
content: Some of the worst ones of the top of my head actually came from a teacher running the fibre optics endorsement for the cabling licence course. Such as:- Step-index fibre is better than graded-index because the sharp change in refractive index means the light bounces better and makes it go faster- The launch cable on an OTDR is there to 'let the light settle' before it goes down the fibreThere were plenty more nuggets of awesomeness, but I have since scoured my brain of the memories so I don't confuse them with actual facts....

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 10:06:29 pm
content: QuoteOK, wondered whether that would be why - I do travel to Europe a fair bit but confess I've never examined the socketsthatclosely.

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 10:37:54 pm
content: Back in the high school, electronics lab. Class split into groups, each group gets a copy of the instructions for the exercise circuit we have to assemble and then take some characteristics. The instructions assumed source current measurement with an ammeter right after the PSU. But as our group got a bit more modern (not that usual there back then) lab supply with built-in V and A displays, being the lazy-ass I am, I skipped it and just got my readings straight from the supply's digital LED display. Then this teacher approaches to verify our connections. When she asks me where our ammeter is and how am I supposed to get the current readings, I point at the PSU. Then she gives me this overbearing look and asks sharply: "And what is this current supposed to do INSIDE the power supply, <my second name here>?!" Apparently, electronic circuits were all black boxes to her, the current originated right at one of the PSU's binding posts and disappeared in the other and the idea of the current actually flowing inside the PSU's internals was just too much for her to wrap her head around.On another occasion, she authoritatively concluded the optocouplers topic that the idea of a LED actually shining on a phototransistor is just a simplification, kind of a story made for us to be able to understand the device because having an actual LED shining there just wouldn't make any sense and no one in their right mind would have implemented it this way. Something akin to the Adam and Eve story, I guess.Very unpleasant individual, she was.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2013, 10:41:06 pm
content: Quote from: andtfoot on December 18, 2013, 10:05:19 pmOn that note, there are apparently some "audiophiles" (really "audiofools") who think coax is better than fiber. It's a digital signal so it works the same, but coax can conduct EMI while fiber will not.Here's a collection from the HVAC engineers:http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?990921-Stupidest-Service-Call-you-ve-run!!!

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 12:40:10 am
content: SWSO--Speaker Wire Smarter than Owner

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 12:44:08 am
content: Quote from: AcHmed99 on December 18, 2013, 11:05:58 pmI found out that my TV doesn't have this port.x10^9

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 01:17:46 am
content: I remember the tale of an art teacher who wanted to show us electric welding. Imagine a regular class room with 10 electric welding machines, all connected to a flimsy-ass power strip. Of course the room's fuse kept on popping. The teacher couldn't image why, so she just taped the fuse's switch up to keep it from popping. Of course, being a well built fuse it popped non the less. When the power strip finally started smoking, she knew something was wrong. She said the fuse had broken the power strip.

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 04:40:31 am
content: Quote from: grumpydoc on December 18, 2013, 09:48:39 pmAlready answered, but here's a picture anyway:The metal part holds the contacts and is fixed in the wall.And yes, he would probably never come back to the shop. I shouldn't have laughed at him and he shouldn't have been so stupid. My advice was genuine, there's nothing anyone can do for him. I tell things like they are, no sweet talk as not to offend anyone.

author: rexxar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 05:26:26 am
content: One day at work a transformer blew up taking one leg of the mains out, so only half the stuff in the building still worked. A customer came in, said something about the lights being out. I said that yes, a transformer blew up, so some things aren't working. He then went over to the elevator, read the 'out of order' sign, thenmovedthe sign to press the button anyway. He waited til I told him that it wasn't working. He then went over to the water fountain, and remarked that "the computers" must control the water fountains too, because they're not working.Apparently they have electronically controlled valves and were on the leg that was out.I also once had someone marvel at the fact that you get your paper back when you send a fax. Because fax machines actually transport the physical document across the phone lines, apparently.Unrelated: If you want to hear some crazy stories, ask a librarian. Things I've heard: "Look under Elvis, that's who I used to be before the sex change" "Here's the phone numbers of God, Jesus, and the virgin Mary" "Obama has my son's brain, but he can't use it because you can't mix black and white"

author: JuKu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 09:00:43 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on December 18, 2013, 10:41:06 pmUmm, no, it doesn't. Google digital audio jitter, realize that for no jitter, spdif signal requires infinite bandwidth and learn also, that coax has something like 100x the bandwidth of toslink receivers.QuoteThis might be true. Some manufacturers cheat on the spec. If done right, spdif coax is shielded and isolated.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 10:42:06 am
content: I'm so thankful I've never worked in retail or technical support. Pretty sure I'd end up taking a machete to someone eventually. Pic sums it up.On the other hand, annoying customers eventually leave. Not so with my new neighbor (never home) and the large dog they keep chained up in the yard, which barks all day and long into the night. Still going now, at 9.30pm.Does "woof woof wooof woofwoofwoof woof... woof... woof woof woof woowoowoowooooo woof woof..." count as crazy things heard? It's certainly annoying.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 10:49:12 am
content: While working part time at a consumer electronics store a few years back, I was asked to factory restore an iPad before we could resell it. The return slip section where the customer gave the reason it was returned said "It's nothing but a big iPhone!"

author: owiecc
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 11:42:58 am
content: A guy wanted to have an ethernet socket in each of the rooms of his newly renovated apartment. So he told the electrician that was redoing the electrical installation that the router will stand in one place and he should put the wires from the router to each of the rooms. So the electrician made a nice connection: router --- room A --- room B --- room C. He didn't know daisy chaining is not an option any more.My brother runs a small IT shop. Once a guy came and his newly assembled computer (he did the assembly) does not start. After opening the case we saw that the motherboard was screwed to the back pane without any spacers shorting everyting.

author: bookaboo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 01:54:26 pm
content: I had a neighbour that does rallying call with me at 11pm one night, he couldnt get his new spotlights working. He had wired them via a fuse and switch and "earthed them to the body".I took a quick look working by torchlight, couldn't spot anything and we decided to look at it in the morning light before he went racing.As soon as I saw it in daylight I realised he had "earthed" to the plastic bumper.

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 02:01:09 pm
content: QuoteI doubt the electrician even realised that the old "10base2" Ethernet was daisy-chained - he probably thought it needed to be wired up like phone extensions.When I was doing my Comp Sci degree one class project was a multi-tasking OS with various sub-tasks which would run under the OS, one of which was a bean sorter (you know, black & white beans into different hoppers). The guy (John) doing it clearly struggled for about a week but eventually came clean to the rest of us that he couldn't get anything useful out of the opto interface and couldn't get the solenoid to fire.A quick bit of inspection revealed the problem, the sorter hardware had a separate low voltage supply - which he hadn't turned on"If it doesn't work, turn it on" became known as "John's Law" for a while.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 02:26:34 pm
content: Quote from: JuKu on December 19, 2013, 09:00:43 amThen why would fiber ever be used if cheap coax really is that much better? I once worked for a networking company and if they could use cheap, tough coax instead of expensive, fragile fiber, they will. There are copper (STP) cables for 10G Ethernet and even 40G Ethernet but only for short distances. (Also note that in this context, "long distance" is a few hundred feet...)I actually had some issues with EMI from a digital amplifier traveling on a coax through a PC and into some sensitive analog device I was working on. Swap the coax for fiber and no problem. (Later, I found out the EMI was because the gate drives weren't designed right and there was an awful lot of shoot through current!)

author: Balaur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 02:33:27 pm
content: Quote from: JuKu on December 19, 2013, 09:00:43 amWhat kind of third-world lowly peasant doesn't use a SPDIF reclocker and a master clock generator? How can you even enjoy music in these conditions?

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 02:49:19 pm
content: A customer told me a nice story. A local carrier was connecting the customer's building to their glass fibre metro network . The outside work was already done, the fibre was installed and only the ADM (Add Drop Multiplexer) was missing. The customer called his painter to repaint the wall where the fibre enters the building before the cabinet for the ADM was going to be installed. When the carrier's technicians came with the ADM they didn't find the fibre. It was gone. The painter has cut off the fibre because it didn't look like a power cable, put on some cement to close the hole and painted the wall . So they had to open the wall and resplice the fibre. The painter had to pay the invoice for the additonal work and I bet he'll never ever again cut off a cable ;-)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 07:07:50 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on December 19, 2013, 10:42:06 amThe solution is to call the animal rescue and complain about the chained up dog, and they will come and remove it and fine the owner for animal cruelty.There is another method involving bacon wrapping, but that will not be appropriate here.

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 07:59:35 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on December 19, 2013, 07:07:50 pmThere is also another method where you keep letting the dog into the neighbors house while they're not home.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 08:16:31 pm
content: Quote from: peter.mitchell on December 19, 2013, 07:59:35 pmThat would be the preferred method.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 10:04:32 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on December 19, 2013, 07:07:50 pmThat is exactly what is going to happen. (Option #1) Just giving it a _little_ more time.Quote from: peter.mitchellSatisfying as it would be, it's a. break & enter, and b. large aggressive & probably viscous dog, that I have no desire to go anywhere near. Not without an axe.There's actually another option. Some time ago another house across a couple of fences from my place became vacant for a while. Then someone moved in. Some guy who was almost never home, kept a big dog in the yard that seemed to rarely get fed (and barked a lot), and drove a pickup with one of those big lockable deckplate toolboxes on the back. Never did any maintenance on the place, and it started looking very overgrown and neglected.Then one day the front door had been smashed in and replaced with a sheet of ply screwed to the frame. No dog, no resident. For many months. Then I got a notice in my letterbox of intended demolition of the house. From my backyard I could see into that back yard, and there were a couple of typical metal garden sheds. Phoned the demolition co # listed in the letter, asked for and was given permission to remove the sheds before demolition began. Had one day to do it, and it rained all that day, so it wasn't a pleasant task. But the point is, I could see inside the house. It had been trashed, in very 'extreme police search' style. Apparently enough to make demolition the best option.Anyway, the general resident behavior pattern seems similar. But it's only been one week. We'll see.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2013, 10:11:36 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on December 19, 2013, 10:04:32 pmI think a "strongly worded letter" to the resident might help some. I did that once to a person that was by my locker at school, and made them cry. I didn't feel all that sorry since they kept on leaving milk and tuna sandwiches inside for extended periods of time. Oops.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2013, 12:02:21 am
content: Quote from: echen1024 on December 19, 2013, 10:11:36 pmWhen you have a potentially serious problem with a neighbor, and you already know they are an arsehole, it's NOT a good idea to initiate a direct confrontation. Firstly because an arsehole (sociopath, to use the technical term) doesn't care what you think. Secondly because it gives them a tactical advantage -theyare not constrained to playing nice (or legal.) Thirdly because they are going to be right there until they move out, which might be many years.Your 'locker neighbor' probably was just thoughtless, not a sociopath. Or they would not have cried. They cared about your comments, while a true arsehole would just be thinking about how to level up against you.Much better to apply the Ender's Game principle.The other parties to this don't deserve to suffer due to the arsehole. That includes the dog, and the owner of the rental property.When you do things right, no one can even be sure you did anything at all.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2013, 01:26:10 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on December 19, 2013, 07:07:50 pmOver here you can call the non-emergency line at the police department and file a noise complaint.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2013, 06:00:37 am
content: Got a call today about a smoking computer, but they told the helpdesk rep that it wasn't a critical system so no emergency. I head out there and they've all gone to lunch. I find the front panel open on the testing station that all assemblies in that department get connected to before they get installed with one of those high-speed fans blowing into it and it was unplugged.Anyway I was told by one of my higher-ups that I wasn't to mess with it, I'm assuming because I'm not an electrician and there's some potential for getting shocked since there's a lot of high current power supplies with exposed screw terminals.So yeah, the testing station that does the pass/fail/rework check on an assembly that weighs a few hundred pounds right before it gets installed is not a critical system I guess.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2013, 05:38:41 pm
content: Probably not, though the customers would not be pleased if the very expensive thing they just paid for arrives DOA or self destructs and drops bits all over though.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2013, 08:57:15 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on December 20, 2013, 12:02:21 amOh no. That guy was a definite arsehole. He would do that for fun, and put random shit in various peoples lockers.

author: smashedProton
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2013, 11:57:47 pm
content: Quote from: echen1024 on December 18, 2013, 02:46:00 pmYour 15 and work at a computer store? Is it family owned? holy shit

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2013, 04:49:50 am
content: It was owned by one of our friends. I just had a summer job there.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2013, 05:05:26 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on December 20, 2013, 05:38:41 pmPart Two of this story, or why you should listen to your boss...https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/getting-a-small-shock-in-a-cabinet-with-ups/msg351114/

author: What_NZ
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2014, 06:41:46 am
content: In a workshop full of experienced Electronics Technicians the first Year Apprentice was repairing a mains powered Audio Amplifier.During the initial stages of fault finding, he yelled out "Hey this is strange, I've just measured a resistor with negative resistance"Laughter filled the Workshop......Since the Apprentice was under my care I went across and explained to him why and to turn the Power to the Amplifier OFF. He was very quiet for the rest of the day.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2014, 01:09:21 pm
content: (1) A young engineer once told me "If you push too much data through a Bluetooth dongle, the chip will literally melt." OK, he was a fresh grad with no experience so fair enough, unlike the following three cases...(2) An arrogant and rude ex-military technician I worked with once literally screamed, "BULLS**T!!! You don't need a C-Tick mark if you have CE!" He did not know what he was talking about. When he found out he was wrong, he spat the dummy and went into a child-like sulk for a few weeks.He has burnt his bridges.(3) At an Agilent equipment seminar an army technician said, "Digital CROs are for <expletive deleted>. Real men use analogue CROs. I know all about electronics and no-one who knows about electronics needs a digital CRO."(Note: CRO is an Australian term for oscilloscope.)(4) An engineer once told me he read in a newspaper that 1/3 of all women in Australia run a brothel from their home during the day when their husbands are at work. At his first day at work he asked me if any Jews worked here. He quit after threatening to bash two managers and said "I don't work with monkeys."Extreme cases, but electronics seems to attract more than its fair share of d*ckheads.

author: Tinkerer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2014, 04:18:31 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on June 29, 2014, 01:09:21 pmAre you kiddin me?Everyjob attracts its share of dickheads.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2014, 04:40:51 pm
content: I think I worked with some of those discussed above.........Then again in the military you found all types of people. Sane was not a common parameter.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2014, 05:13:01 pm
content: Quote from: bookaboo on December 18, 2013, 09:49:02 am

author: logictom
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 22, 2014, 12:41:08 am
content: One of my favourites was when a fourth year student was getting ready to present their final year project and was looking flustered in the lab. I asked him how it was going to which he replied that his board was not working, he was having to refit one of the diodes as "it is a special diode that has to go in the right way round"

author: abaxas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2014, 08:57:03 am
content: Circa 2002 I was working in the UK NHS. I asked why the new building didn't have any seats. Turns out they were not allowed seats until they have been trained on how to use them.:O

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2014, 08:24:46 pm
content: Does the crazy (non)reaction to something I said count? Back when Curiosity was about to land on Mars, I mentioned this to a former GF. I wasn't clear enough that it is an unmanned vehicle at first so she asked, without any trace of emotion: "who's in there, driving it?". When I said it's a remote controlled robot, she responded with "oh, I see" - again, impassively. I understand perfectly well that not everyone must get excited by the same things I do but, FFS, to think you've just learned people are about to set foot on another planet and still care more about what you'll be having for dinner? That's just beyond me, I cannot comprehend that.

author: Tinkerer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2014, 12:02:31 am
content: Quote from: Zbig on July 22, 2014, 08:24:46 pmDo we live on the same planet? People care more about whats right in front of them. If they were more foresighted, the world wouldnt be as in a mess as it is.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2014, 04:11:25 pm
content: Quote from: Tinkerer on July 23, 2014, 12:02:31 am

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2014, 06:12:09 pm
content: I got an email last week, saying that she could not email me because there was some error in my email address. Note that she emailed me, not a phone call or shouting.I was very polite and did not reply.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2014, 06:17:14 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on July 23, 2014, 06:12:09 pmthat was the best thing you could dolet her think there is still some error in your email address

author: StubbornGreek
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2014, 07:19:25 pm
content: Well, I had a pc repair business and offered free pickup and drop off service... Too many anecdotes but a couple of quick ones. Picked up a laptop for virus removal, dropped it off and then an hour later, I get a call from a furious woman claiming that I did something to the sound as she could no longer hear anything from the speakers; I say, ok, stranger things have happened...perhaps a corrupt driver, etc. I show up at her home (again) and she starts freaking out on me. During the torrent of abuse, I see the machine on her desk from across the room. I calmly asked if she would mind unplugging the earbuds from the jack. Viola... The thing that sucks is that in these situations, you loose the customer regardless of the outcome. Either they're too embarrassed to call you back or...Another one, I built a really nice home server for this one customer. He put it in the basement (and ignored my request to elevate the system from the floor). I get a call from him three months later saying that the machine "exploded" and that he wants his money back but he refused to let me see the computer. Well, he wasn't getting anywhere with this so he finally agreed to let me see it. When I took it apart, there was a distinct water line (white powdery residue) about two inches off the bottom of the case. All he needed was a new power supply. The funny thing is that he still had an attitude and expected me to warranty the PSU - didn't happen.I really could go on and on...

author: mrkev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2014, 11:07:49 pm
content: It's and old thread but I think it fits here...So today I was quitte surprised. One of our coworkes left and we got a new one. As I mentioned at the start, I work in a small shop with electro stuff. Well we knew that the new guy doesn't know much, but today, we discovered that he doesn't know even an ohm's law... Not that weird actually as the graduees from schools are not with any epic quality... But as I tryed to "enlighten" him a bit on the subject, i discovered that he literary doesn't BELIEVE that electrons do exist...

author: Warhawk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2014, 09:54:46 am
content: Quote from: mrkev on October 10, 2014, 11:07:49 pmMrkev , don't you work for that company with the blue elephant logo ?I was a witness of these stupid questions and seller-customer fights several times when I shopped there. Thanks god I don't need to go there any more.Anyway you are not alone. I used to work (part time) for a small company which selling various stuff for remote control models. I had exactly same problems. Never ending stories about people's ignorance and stupidity. Customers who bought similar stuff directly from China and then they asked for Czech manual or telling us how immoral we are because he bought it 50% cheaper. Thinking about fake copies, import taxes, employee salaries, shop rent etc. was often far beyond their understanding. A lot of them simply thinks that I wanted to rob them.The bad thing is that I had to sell my gold plated Aston Martin right after I quit that job.

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2014, 10:01:45 am
content: Quote from: logictom on July 22, 2014, 12:41:08 amJust to play devil's advocate here, maybe it was a zener and he was confused because he expected it to be used in a forward biased ocnfiguration, which was why his circuit didn't work?

author: mrkev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2014, 12:24:56 pm
content: Quote from: Warhawk on October 11, 2014, 09:54:46 amNo, it's the other one. We are a bit smaller than them. The funny part is that that company with blue elephant advice their sellers (i have few friends that worked there) to just sell and don't answer questions. Like if you wanna advice on your project, f.e. "what transistor can i use for switching this diode," they'll usually just point you to the computer in corner with the internet.We are trying to help, but you usually spend like 10 minutes picking the part that costs less than 10 Kc (0.5$), so most of the time it's not worth it. And I don't know what is that new co-worker gonna do and what can he even help anybody with

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 11, 2014, 02:12:00 pm
content: My turn for a funny story. I was working at a place doing an SAP rollout but some of the users were totally new to computers and, well, they needed a bit of hand holding. So, one morning I get a call from the factory maintenance manager, a man who was an amazing mechanical engineer but lacking somewhat in computer skills."I've run out of disk"Well, that is what it sounded like but these machines were new Windows NT boxes with 100Mb hard drives. Just in case I packed a replacement hard drive in my toolkit and headed across the factory to his office. He then showed me the problem, carefully grasping the mouse in one hand he moved it across the desk whilst gazing at the cursor. With the cursor 75% of the way across he reached the edge of the desk and stopped with a look of panic on his face.He'd run out of desk and didn't realize that picking up the mouse and starting again would work just fine. I kept quiet, I told nobody, and in return I knew who to turn to if I needed any machining done

author: logictom
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 13, 2014, 02:20:27 am
content: Quote from: nitro2k01 on October 11, 2014, 10:01:45 amI did consider that when typing it up, thinking back on when it occurred but knowing the guy and the way he had said it jumped out to me that it was just a standard diode. I didn't press any further for details so I could be wrong.Not from the same uni but more 4th year students. At my last place of work we had an industrial placement we were interviewing for, I wrote a bunch of simple questions, between 4 or 5 students they answers about 3 questions correctlyI'm talking, picture of a negative feedback opamp setup, state the opamp configuration and the feedback, the only answer I got was one guy adding the two resistor values together. Because the project involved working with storing data and working with memory I put some basic questions on bits to bytes and some binary values, what is 2^0, one guy got it, no one else, 2^8 nothing.I thought these we easy questions so I threw in a curve ball and asked: At what speed does a flux capacitor activate and what does it enable?

author: Leiothrix
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2014, 03:41:58 am
content: Quote from: logictom on October 13, 2014, 02:20:27 amHow much of that was cluelessness and how much of it was just nerves?Interviews have a habit of turning off people's brains.

author: electr_peter
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 06:25:02 pm
content: One time I heard explanation why AC mains power system was adopted instead of DC system.Among other reasons, one was that"DC current carrying cables create more static electricity and attract dust - this makes maintenance slightly more difficult".

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 08:01:25 pm
content: Quote from: electr_peter on November 07, 2014, 06:25:02 pmThat sounds like a typical half truth. The ion winds created in a high voltage DC field might actually make the negative side slightly more susceptible to collecting dust than the positive side. I've once (when I was a kid) seen a dust collector made for mounting on a wall based on this principle, that looked like a small parabolic antenna. The arm carried (I have to assume) a positive potential and the disc a negative potential. I doubt the possibility of collecting dust was a very significant factor in deciding whether to use DC or AC power lines, however. Rather, I would guess that someone got the job to write a report of every advantage and disadvantage of each technology, and that that reason happened to be included.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 08:04:28 pm
content: Heard at a store. Do you have any better fuses, all the ones I bought keep on blowing. I was tempted to suggest a bolt, or a .22 bullet. I refrained, suggested instead that the fuse blowing was possibly a safety feature.

author: electr_peter
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 09:32:44 pm
content: Quote from: nitro2k01 on November 07, 2014, 08:01:25 pmComment about dust was made in context of house wiring and appliances mains cords (meaning reasonable voltage levels). Thus I see very little truth in this statement. "Half truth" - more like 0.1% truth.However, dust maybe a problem (or annoyance) for some applications where high voltage DC field is present (maybe unintentionally) and optics (clean surfaces) of small scale are involved.

author: electr_peter
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 09:35:19 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on November 07, 2014, 08:04:28 pmI have heard such story few times already. It newer gets old.Why would fuse blow? Because fuse is defective

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 09:48:03 pm
content: Refer to this handy guide.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 10:35:10 pm
content: Quote from: mrkev on December 17, 2013, 11:56:16 pmYes -and there are too many of them on this forumPeople that think time is measured in siemens rather than seconds.Hint for the clueless: "s" is the SI unit for seconds, and "S" is the SI unit for conductance, i.e. siemens.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 11:12:02 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on November 07, 2014, 10:35:10 pmi refuse to follow the french system. They do everything bass-ackwards anyway.SI in itself is a prime example of that : Systeme Internationaux. International system. it should be IS , not SI.The same goes for CD Compact disc : Disque compacte ... and DC (Direct current) becomes Courant Directe ( CD )so my DC player runs on CD in france ... Sacre bleu, time to put some more garlic on those snails and open another tin of frog-legs... We already downed both bottles of wine that were supposed to go in the sauce ... regarde dans le cave si-y-en-a encore quelque bouteilles ... -hips- ...

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2014, 11:26:24 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on November 07, 2014, 11:12:02 pmAnd presumably you measure velocity in furlongs per fortnight.And cause $125m spacecraft to hit Mars rather too fasthttp://articles.latimes.com/1999/oct/01/news/mn-17288And measure energy in kW, a favourite of innumerate environmental organisations

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 02:06:40 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on November 07, 2014, 11:26:24 pmMeh $125 (SI) meters, is just 3.34666 (or 3,34666) Kilometers of solar pathways.

author: ShawnD
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 03:18:29 am
content: Quote from: nitro2k01 on November 07, 2014, 09:48:03 pm

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 05:01:16 am
content: No, it does blow........... eventually. In that there will be a disconnection, either because it has melted the holder off the wiring or has dripped molten metal onto the floor.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 06:14:42 am
content: How about this for crazy..A Uni lecturer in one of my classes used Teletext as an example of a 2-way RF link.He even drew a diagram on the whiteboard showing how your TV set requests a page using your TV antenna and it is transmitted to the TV station where they transmit the page you want back to you.I looked around and it seemed ~25% of the class had the "WTF" look on their faces.No one said anything, we all just let him say it anyway, for lolz.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 06:35:45 am
content: Quote from: Psi on November 08, 2014, 06:14:42 amIf I was the lecturer I would have failed you all for falling into my trick lecture and accepting it at face value, no true engineer accepts anything at face value even if it's true, but I kid of course

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 02:31:33 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on November 08, 2014, 06:14:42 amI remember at college being told that EPROMS stored data via a chemical process...

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 03:05:52 pm
content: Ever been asked to fetch the size 10 open-end wrench for left-handed threads? That's one from the classics department

author: grumpydoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 03:07:17 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on November 08, 2014, 06:14:42 amNah, he was just from the future and got a bit confused between teletext and HTTP. Easily done

author: Refrigerator
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 04:31:01 pm
content: So the other day my dad's shitty old car battery charger blew up. He, of course, blamed it all on me and i had to either fix it or get a new one. So i go this idea: Why no use the old 60Kg, 15000W gramp's ( RIP) variac and a bridge rectifier for the charger, you could set the output voltage precisely and charge the car battery.So i explained it to my dad and this was his response.QuoteThe "sufisticated piece of engineering" he was talking about had, in fact, a transformer and four diodes inside.Just.................................

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 04:46:11 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on November 07, 2014, 08:04:28 pmThe .22 bullet used as a fuse was on Mythbusters some time ago...

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2014, 07:03:40 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on November 08, 2014, 06:14:42 amNot so long ago, I was invited to the offices of a very well known satellite communications company. We sat through a little presentation on the company and its services, and the presenter was adamant that their satellites burned fuel continuously to keep them in orbit around the earth. Not just to periodically adjust their positions and keep them in the *correct* orbit, but to actually keep flying, like a plane.I like to hope she was on the commercial, administrative or tea-making side of the business, rather than the technical.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2014, 02:13:48 am
content: Quote from: Refrigerator on November 08, 2014, 04:31:01 pmNormal variacs are auto-transformers,so you are taking your life in your hands on the assumption that your power socket is wired correctly.Nobody expects to find 230v on one car battery terminal!Even if your variac is a very rare one with an isolating transformer,it is easy to forget that you have left the thing wound up,or even accidentally bump the big control knob,& blow up your battery.

author: Refrigerator
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2014, 10:49:02 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on November 09, 2014, 02:13:48 amBoth of the sides of the variac can be set separately ( input and output ), i've already tested it and it seems to work perfectly fine, although it needs some maintenance on the rollers.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 09, 2014, 12:14:29 pm
content: My cheque's are good, but my cash bounces.I said that just then.Muttley

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 09, 2014, 12:19:43 pm
content: Politician's and old people should be drowned at birth.Another one of mine.Muttley

author: gnif
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 09, 2014, 01:01:36 pm
content: I used to work in a computer shop well over 10 years ago now, and I have a few stories.1) A customer brought his PC in, it smelt terrible and he complained it made a loud bang and wouldn't turn on anymore. I just thought, here we go again, the cheap crappy one hung low PSUs the boss was selling had failed again. So I booked the computer in, and as he was leaving I went to move the PC to the incoming pile and as I tried to lift it, there was this slippery resedue all over the back, near the top at the PSU, so I asked the customer what it was.... the PSU fan had gone noisy, so he decided to fix it by pouring vegatable oil into it, and to make matters worse, while it was running.2) An old man came into the shop, this would have been back in 2003, handed me a floppy disk, and asked me to put the internet onto it (I still have the disk).3) A customer tried to tell me that the audio output of the onboard sound card was terrible because the impedance did not match that of his (cheap sony earbud) headphones, and that the wires inside it were not OFC and this degraded the sound quality. He was demanding the cables be replaced and the impedance be matched to his headphones that he had brought along.4) A computer came into the shop with massive indentations in the front of the machine, it looked like it had been taken too rather unkindly with a hammer. The customer said it had locked up and thought that a few wacks with a hammer would un-freeze it and allow him to save his rather long document. When it did not work he found so much sattisfaction in it, he continued to pound the front of the machine until the entire face was gone, the floppy drive was crushed and the CD-ROM did not even resemble anything of use anymore.5) This one was a former friend who when using his PC decided that it was too slow, got angry and took to one of the power cables with a pair of scissors... he just happened to cut across the 12v and 5v rails shorting them together, destroyed his HDD, CDROM and floppy disk and fed back into the motherboard and destroyed the floppy disk controller. He insisted that it 'just broke' and the charred cable was part of the failure, even though the pair of scissors were sitting right there with a nice little chunk of steel missing and that nice black carbon explosion mark around it.6) A customer came in with an old 486 and wanted to upgrade to a faster computer, so the salesman sold him into a basic office pc with Windows 2000 on it. I was tasked with building it and sending it out. Well, a few days later it came back into the shop, the customer swearing black and blue that it was broken and would not work. I took the machine back in, went over it and found no faults, so we returned it to the customer asking him to take note of exactly what is going wrong when it doesnt work and to bring it back in if it occurs again. It came back that afternoon, again the customer was very irate and rude to the staff over the issue. So I powered up the computer in front of him and it booted fine, no problems again, so I asked him to show me what was wrong with it. He promptly pulled out of his pocket an floppy disk and proceeded to boot into DOS 5 and tried to run some ancient wordprocessing software.... We explained to him that the new hardware would not work with his ancient software and tried to convince him that he needs to upgrade to a modern word processing suite, he insisted in rather colourful language that had it been an Apple it would have worked, so we refunded him the value of the computer, minus the time spent diagnosing a non fault, and told him to go next door to the apple store (I have no love for Apple).

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 10, 2014, 07:18:44 pm
content: One from a former boss of mine some years ago"We have just made all the design team redundant and transferred the design to another site, but that will not affect the delivery of the new system". The system was due for delivery the day the last engineer (the senior engineer) walked out the door. He had not worked on any of the development of the system.Never did find out how late it was delivered.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2014, 10:19:34 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on November 08, 2014, 02:31:33 pmWell, its all about charge movement, so its kinda chemical, isn't it?

author: EvilGeniusSkis
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 24, 2014, 05:46:51 am
content: Quote from: con-f-use on December 19, 2013, 01:17:46 amif the students were old enough to weld, the teacher shouldn't get all the blame in this case.

author: EvilGeniusSkis
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2014, 09:13:27 pm
content: Quote from: zapta on December 18, 2013, 08:29:51 pmwouldn't that be a 8R power resistor?

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 01, 2014, 09:56:50 pm
content: I sat through a presentation once where the lecturers proceeded to tell participants that they could call Emergency 000 (911 for you Americans) fromanywherein the country because if you were outside your regular coverage area, your call would be picked up by satellites.Now the clued-up folks of course understand that this is not the case. Emergency calls will be routed through the nearest mobile network, regardless if you are in a coverage area provided by your 'home' network or whether you have a SIM card inserted or not. But you do need to be within the coverage footprint of a network (even if it's not your own).I suppose it's not really the 'craziest' thing I've heard and I can see how someone would make that mistake, but it would be kind of bad if someone took that information thinking that could go to the outback and rely on their regular mobile phone for emergencies (as opposed to taking an EPIRB or Sat Phone with them).

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 11:51:02 am
content: I don't know where the notion that satellites are used for cellphone communication comes from. My mother thinks that if she receives a text message while the phone is turned off, the message is stored in a "satellite somewhere". I'll forgive her, but I still wonder where this notion comes from.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 12:04:25 pm
content: My latest crazy happened yesterday when a tree-hugger said that the government *****had***** gotten back its investments in green energy + $5Bn, all from an article that said the government expected to get there in 20-25 years if everything works out.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 12:10:18 pm
content: Just pull up people-of-walmart if you need a good laugh to make you feel better. Other wise.....

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 12:17:31 pm
content: My experience with Walmart/Kmart people has been pretty sane. It is when you start talk to the fanatics (of any kind), things start to get interesting.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 06:09:01 pm
content: Quote from: george graves on December 02, 2014, 12:10:18 pmI do not need to go there, just look outside the door.............

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 07:07:49 pm
content: Honestly, most common people have a weird magic-like understanding of how electronics work. Even worse: most folks even refuse to think about how something could work.So they come up with weird ideas like GPS receivers sending your location to a satellite or asking you if a video recorder records on the tape or "somewhere else" (yes, I was asked that).Then again, even some engineers have a somewhat limited understanding of physics. It's surprising how often I have to explain graduated electrical engineers that a ground connection is actually needed to get a sensible measurement. And don't ask how often I discussed with people that the active state of a low side driver is not identical to a high voltage on the output.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 07:49:19 pm
content: In a couple of thousand years, most common people would thing what we used to have a weird magic-like understanding of how electronics work.Since I'm not from the future I can't prove it but our abstractions might be limiting us for all we know.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 08:52:24 pm
content: QuoteLook at this very thread and you will find a few such examples,QuoteThat's decidedly untrue, unless you some creative definitions for "ground connection".

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 09:22:12 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on December 02, 2014, 08:52:24 pmIt's decidedly true for the cases I was referring to. Implying that other people are complete idiots just because you find a way to misinterpret what they might be a great way for you to feel better - it's just not really the best way to be an enjoyable person.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 09:32:29 pm
content: QuoteThat means your statement is untrue unless qualified - which you didn't do.The fact that you can find cases where it is true doesn't make it ***universally*** true, which your original statement, unqualified, attempts to do.I hope you can comprehend the differences here.

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 10:43:27 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on December 02, 2014, 09:32:29 pmI'm pretty confident that you're able to determine the difference between an anecdote and a universal statement. You're just trying desperately to interpret this in that way to be able to disprove it.Quote from: dannyf on December 02, 2014, 09:32:29 pmFor sure I completely comprehend your intention and most probably also your motives. I'm just not sure if you're wise enough to understand them yourself. And if so, if you really feel that is the best thing you could do with your life. Then again, it's not that I really care. It's slightly depressing though that just a few people with this attitude can make it really uncomfortable to post anything in a forum.Which shows again that I know a lot of people that are maybe not the brightest but still enjoyable to be with while there are others I wouldn't like to have a beer with even though they are somewhat smarter.Anyway, I rest my case here since I really don't want to argue.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2014, 10:55:40 pm
content: QuoteNo one can discern the context within which you made your statement, as none was given.QuoteIt is so logically inconsistent that it hardly takes anything to "disprove it".QuoteWhen you have to question the other side's intentions and motives, you have lost the argument.Win your arguments by presenting facts and logic, not by assassinating the other side's characters.

author: megajocke
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 02:30:22 am
content: I think it was quite clear that it was not a general statement.I can definitely imagine this happening: someone only attaching the tip of the oscilloscope probe when trying to measure on some completely floating device...When seeing some vague statement like that, about the ground being required, I'd at least try figuring out what the person that said it was trying to convey, instead of trying to misinterpret it in the worst way possible.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 10:48:08 am
content: I've more or less given up trying to answer peoples' technical queries for just this reason. Provide a clear answer to a question, and there's always someone who feels the need to pick up on any simplification (whether deliberate or not), and provide the "benefit" of their greater knowledge. More often than not, this also includes dismissive hostility and a really ugly sense of self-satisfaction.Since I can't be bothered to "internet-proof" everything I write, including every possible condition, disclaimer or suggestion for further reading, I choose not to bother posting at all any more.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 03:03:07 pm
content: Quote from: 0xdeadbeef on December 02, 2014, 10:43:27 pmDannyf suffers from a delusion of grandeur common to a certain type of stupid person. Due to an abject lack of comprehension for the depths of his own dim-wittedness he is instead convinced that he is smarter than everyone else.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 04:53:17 pm
content: Was called today that the printer ribbon was faint. In a laser printer.....................

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 05:43:31 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on December 03, 2014, 04:53:17 pmDid you replace said ribbon? ;-)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 05:56:33 pm
content: CF280A replaced and it works again.

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 07:24:38 pm
content: Yes, stupid people. Everyone should know that the laser burns the paper. You don't need to replace anything.

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 07:41:29 pm
content: Well, there are thermal printers which do just that.It didn't really register with me, before i took apart a cash register (no pun intended) - i always assumed that there was some sort of an ink cartridge in there.Which, with some good timing, might have put me on this thread, having commented along the lines of "maybe the receipt printer is out of ink?"

author: con-f-use
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 07:46:15 pm
content: But they use a resistive matrix don't they? I also don't think it's stupid not to know how a laser printer works.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 08:21:37 pm
content: Quote from: con-f-use on December 03, 2014, 07:46:15 pmI agree. My wife is fairly intelligent. She could care less how a laser printer works. All she knows is when she clicks print, an electronic document goes in and a paper document comes out. If it doesn't happen to her satisfaction, then it is my job to fix it.

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 08:36:54 pm
content: And yet any technology, no matter how complex or primitive, is magic to those who don't understand it.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 08:50:58 pm
content: And to those who think they understand itWe can't really visualize things at the quantum level, we just know things up to some degree that makes it work for our purposes.But behind it all, it's all magic!

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 08:55:42 pm
content: Mathematics, actually.The fabric of reality is as good as mathematical description.Thinking up anything there (like atoms or waves) is just another abstraction, to fit that fabric into the intuitive processing ability of our brains by interpreting it in the terms that were available in the ancestral environment.So, yeah.Magic.You write down the spells in math, and you cast them with engineering.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 09:00:44 pm
content: QuoteShe is intelligent because she couldn't care less about things that are unimportant to her.There are countless things out there to know, by us with limited time / resources / capabilities. The smarter ones among us prioritize to develop specialties where we have a competitive advantage.The lesser ones criticize others for not knowing things that are unimportant to them.

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 09:43:08 pm
content: Quote from: GreyWoolfe on December 03, 2014, 08:21:37 pmMore in the category of "crazy things people say": that idiom. What you're saying, interpreted literally, is that she is in fact fairly interested in how a laser printer works, since she could care less than she currently does.

author: IO390
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 09:50:49 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on December 03, 2014, 09:00:44 pmMight I direct your attention to what you said in this thread?:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/dave-please-make-more-'solar-roadways'-style-videos/

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 10:03:01 pm
content: Quote from: Artlav on December 03, 2014, 08:55:42 pmYeah but we can't describe the full math on complex systems because the number of relations and potentials is just too complicated for even a math formulas, so we dissect that as well but that doesn't mean we will understand the whole.So at the end the relations of probabilities that describes it all is just magic.As for engineering it's just going to be a subset of what we know that works within our own imposed constraints and tolerances and as we advance we can make those tolerances smaller and reduce the constraints as well.Edit: @IO390If you invest on something, then it's probably important to you, so you will have to research it or be stupid about it and get con'd, there is no ambiguity on what he said in both occasions.

author: jlmoon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2014, 10:37:35 pm
content: I just come to this thread if I want to hear some crazy things!

author: cimmo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 04:10:56 am
content: Quote from: GK on December 03, 2014, 03:03:07 pmI do believe that phenomena is known as the "Dunning-Kruger Effect".On that note, does anyone know if it is possible to suppress individual users comments from displaying to me?

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 04:38:34 am
content: Quote from: cimmo on December 04, 2014, 04:10:56 amOne might wonder which user's commentsThere is an ignore list in your forum profile; it's utterly useless. It hides the text but not the post, and it's still there in quotes and obviously nothing is done about the following obnoxious argument. Just ignore the old fashioned way.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 07:22:46 am
content: Quote from: con-f-use on December 03, 2014, 07:46:15 pmEveryone knows how a laser printer works. You connect it to the wall. Dara O'Briain can tell you all about this

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 07:26:11 am
content: Quote from: jlmoon on December 03, 2014, 10:37:35 pmPlease, anything to silence the trolls. Tell us a joke or something. :-)

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 09:27:10 am
content: Hysteresis is a flawed concept. It doesn't work. Don't use it.That was from my technical supervisor in my first job in the field. None of us took him seriously on this point and still designed hysteresis into our circuits where necessary regardless. He was thoroughly adamant and never any less general nonetheless.

author: jlmoon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 05:54:45 pm
content: Quote from: Halon on December 04, 2014, 07:26:11 amThis is the best one I have heard in quite some time!Re: Fake Coilcraft on eBay« Reply #9 on: Today at 04:42:55 AM »Quote from: evb149 on December 01, 2014, 08:26:52 AM" Ferriteful. I'd be in hysteresis if I got such an improper transformation of parts. "

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 06:17:21 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on December 03, 2014, 09:00:44 pmYou are right. It is unimportant to her how it works, it's only important to her that it does. When it doesn't work, it is unimportant to her how it is resolved just important to her that it is. She has her priorities straight. She is self admittedly not technically minded, she says she doesn't need to be, she has me. She prefers to use her intelligence for expanding her job knowledge and skill set.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 10:58:25 pm
content: -She prefers to use her intelligence for expanding her job knowledge and skill set.-It speaks volume about those who think anyone not knowing how transistors work is stupid.

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2014, 11:12:24 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on December 04, 2014, 10:58:25 pmNot knowing something is fine, as long as you are humble enough to admit what you don't know. The real problem is not people like his wife, but people who almost take pride in not knowing something, or people who insist that they know better when in fact they are misinformed.However, a couple of reminders for danny:1:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/crazy-things-you've-heard-from-ppl/msg562279/#msg5622792:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/dave-please-make-more-'solar-roadways'-style-videos/msg562304/#msg562304

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2014, 12:30:39 am
content: There's no way you can know every facet of electronics in depth. Sure you keep learning, but you have to accept that you can't (and don't have to) know it all.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 05, 2014, 01:28:55 pm
content: Nitro, both my wife and I cheerfully can admit when we don't know something. I would much rather say that I don't know but let me research the answer and get back to you. I am also a ham radio operator-Amateur Extra class, and I do a weekly Elmer's and Newbie's net on our club repeater. Part of the function is to provide a forum to get answers to ham radio related questions. Normally, i do a good job of answering questions but I do get stumped. I will let them know I will get back to them and if the question and answer is interesting enough, I will bring it up on the following week's net. David, what you said about electronics is true for anything. After 15 years as a ham, my knowledge is still a drop in the bucket of what there is to learn and a lot of the lack of knowledge is simply on topics that I have no interest in.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2014, 01:45:25 pm
content: Quote from: David_AVD on December 05, 2014, 12:30:39 amI'm afraid that you're wrong.http://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Engineering-Know-All-Newnes/dp/1856175286

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2014, 03:11:02 pm
content: Quote from: GK on December 05, 2014, 01:45:25 pmWell, I recognise a couple of the names of the authors - but I don't see anything on High voltage issues - the words Creepage and Clearance don't even appear in the index.

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2014, 03:20:58 pm
content: Well, they must be mentioned in there somewhere. After all, it specifically says on the front cover:Quote

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2014, 04:46:42 pm
content: QuoteMy ex-boss, who is running a Fortune 10 company now, used to tell me to be very afraid of people who admit that they don't have an answer. "Don't worry about those who know anything, because they are BS-artists and they don't go anywhere."

author: EvilGeniusSkis
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2014, 05:02:28 am
content: Quote from: Artlav on December 04, 2014, 07:55:42 AME=MC2and nuclear stuff is a very good example of this; on it's own E=MC2is fairly useless, only when you combine it with engineering does it really become useful.

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2014, 07:01:22 am
content: Quote from: EvilGeniusSkis on December 12, 2014, 05:02:28 amWe have a nuclear reactor nearby which is a few billion years older than we are, and it has been useful to us with or without our understanding of how it works. In the dawn of human civilization, we worshipped it as a god. However, I prefer a more accurate understanding of the universe, even if it would have turned out that E=MC2is useless from an engineering point of view.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2014, 05:48:35 pm
content: Yesterday I as called for a non working keyboard. No response, so replace with a new one. Open the old one up and what do you know, water in the switch membrane. She says she did not drop water on it yesterday.............Right, and the other leg plays tunes as well.Was asked as well if it was covered under warranty ( 3 month old PC), and I politely said no, she would be billed for the cost of the replacement and the call out fees next time.

author: electr_peter
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 21, 2015, 10:38:09 am
content: I have learned an easy way to measure battery ESR."This DMM measures resistance. I will put probes across battery terminals and see internal resistance."DMM in question is 830 type. I have not encountered such logic before (if it measures resistance, then it will measure battery ESR, capacitor ESR, ...).

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2015, 11:40:42 am
content: Quote from: nitro2k01 on December 12, 2014, 07:01:22 amThere are some earthbound nukes as well; seehttp://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ancient-nuclear-reactor/

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2015, 11:41:58 am
content: Quote from: electr_peter on February 21, 2015, 10:38:09 amIt is a traditional horror fable that I first heard 40 years ago. In that case it involved an Avo8, the mains supply, and a PhD.

author: steve_w
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2015, 12:00:13 pm
content: and smoke lots of smoke and a flashhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2015, 12:18:44 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on December 05, 2014, 04:46:42 pm"Don't worry about those who knoweverything" I think you meant."Be very afraid of people who admit that they don't have an answer."If he's running a company with an attitude like that, it's not good news for the company.Personally, people who'll admit they don't know something are the only kind I'd consider friends.

author: BradC
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2015, 02:23:23 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on February 21, 2015, 12:18:44 pmKnow what you don't know.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2015, 02:40:04 pm
content: From a woman at work. Why can't they do load shedding at a time other than when I am cooking or watching Generations. I can't watch TV or do the washing or use the tumble drier and iron the clothes.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 12:38:11 am
content: Quote from: BradC on February 21, 2015, 02:23:23 pmHeh, actually, it's fundamentally not possible to 'know what you don't know' - if by that you mean to be fully aware of all gaps in your knowledge. It's only possible to become aware of such a gap when a situation or thought process directly exposes it.If it was possible to 'know what you don't know', scientific research especially physics would be a lot easier.But perhaps you meant something like 'keep in mind the areas where you've already discovered your ignorance'.I hate that it's that PoS Donal Rumsfeld who's the source of the famous quote about "unknown unknowns".http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Donald_Rumsfeld

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2015, 01:10:39 am
content: QuoteAbsolutely right.But very difficult to do.