August 30th, 2017, 07:33 AM | #1 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
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Ludd's Laws
There are a couple of sayings I find myself sharing again and again. I'm sure others have said these things, but I think I made them up.
It strikes me that they show a bit of a Luddite streak... even though I'm no Luddite, at least in my own mind (says the guy who has a slide rule on his desk). So I've decided to call them Ludd's Laws. (Luddites are named after Ned Ludd... google it.) Ludd's First Law: Never buy Version 1.0 of anything. Ludd's Second Law: Stop chasing new/cheap. Buy quality. Buy it once. Keep it forever. Ludd's Third Law: It doesn't matter how cool the tech is if you never use it. Ludd's Fourth Law: If it's not there, it can't break. Ludd's Fifth Law: Technology always fails you when you need it most. Ludd's Sixth Law: Newer is not necessarily better. Ludd's Seventh Law: It's possible to have too many bells and whistles. Ludd's Eighth Law: If you need to keep referring to the user manual, the device is probably too complicated. Ludd's Ninth Law: There is value in adopting technology that you understand. Ludd's Tenth Law: Moving parts designed to be serviced are a sign of quality. Ludd's Eleventh Law: Electronic technology becomes useless long before it wears out. The reverse is true of mechanical devices. Looking for suggestions to add to the list. Criteria: Any suggested law must reflect a devotion to common sense, simplicity, proven value, and substance over form.
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. Last futzed with by adouglas; October 3rd, 2017 at 06:58 AM. |
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August 30th, 2017, 07:55 AM | #2 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
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I LIVE by this rule as a programmer. I tell my partner this all the time: "there can be no bugs in code that hasn't been written."
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August 30th, 2017, 12:14 PM | #3 |
not an actual panda
Name: dan
Location: philadelphia
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@csmith: I never knew you were a programmer.
@adouglas: Your 2nd rule is one of my guiding principles when it comes to shoes/boots. I'm trying to apply it to suits as well but that really hurts my wallet. |
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August 30th, 2017, 01:51 PM | #4 |
The Corner Whisperer
Name: Chris (aka Reactor)
Location: Northern KY
Join Date: May 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250 (track), 1992 250, 2006 R6 (street/track), 2008 R6 (track) Posts: Too much.
MOTY 2015, MOTM - Nov '12, Nov '13
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Believe it or not... I write websites for celebs, as well as do integrations for top ivy league colleges, Duke, Harvard, ect... ect... I also do/did data integration work for Diageo liquor brands, next time you go to a tasting at your local establishment... when they scan your license to make sure you are of legal age, I know sooooooooooo much more.
All from the woods of KY, on a dead end backroad. ps... NEVER let them scan your license. DON'T DO IT! A few free drinks aren't worth what you're giving away.
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Goal: Shake A Million Hands | Look through the corners | Track Day Prep | Closest track? | The Mid-Ohio School |
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September 4th, 2017, 03:57 PM | #6 | |
.
Name: .
Location: .
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Programmers are kind of like welders in that I always end up assuming they have one of those skills based off of their goofy demeanor. The a-hole programmers/welders are usually people who have halfassedly taught theirselves at home and have no professional experience with either skillset.
Quote:
I also am firmly against paying my hard-earned money to become a guinea pig for something that might not work properly. Even with video games, I play them when they go on sale and all the bugs are patched, and I've never bought a cell phone that was newer than two years old (I miss my 2004 Blackberry 7290 that I bought in 2011 and used for years). BUT! Those who buy the new and the gimmicky products help drive innovation in an economic sense. Why would you make a better one if nobody will buy it, and prefers the old one? While I don't often buy shiny new stuff, I really do appreciate the ones that do as I can later reap the benefits of the whole after finding out if it's for me or not based on other consumers' experiences. Hypocritically, I also look forward to buying a brand new motorcycle eventually. I think not knowing a bike's full history adds to the fun of owning an older motorcycle, but I'd love to know everything that's happened with my bike because I owned it its whole life. I think these are great baselines, but discretion and context is an absolute must. Calling them "laws," seems a bit "do it this way or you're wrong," to me. I'm pretty sure this wasn't your intention because you're a cool dude, but I wanted to point it out. Great post, though! |
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September 4th, 2017, 05:11 PM | #7 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
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Owner's manual (user manual): goes for years at a time without being opened. Usually winds up getting lost.
Maintenance manual: Used every single time I work on the bike without exception. Very, very different documents. All the useful stuff in the owner's manual is also in the maintenance manual. None of the useless stuff is in the maintenance manual. I don't need to know how to operate the kill switch, reset the trip odometer or start the bike... but I do need to check the tightening torque on that obscure bolt I just loosened. Make sense?
__________________________________________________
I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
September 4th, 2017, 09:54 PM | #8 |
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Name: .
Location: .
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I guess, but I did learn a thing or two the second time I read my 97 civic's owners manual from front to back, years after owning it and reading it the first time. Like, how energy conserving oil is actually pretty important to the car's MPG (I get an extra 5mpg with it), and how it's wise to turn on the AC at least once a month for at least 10 minutes to make sure everything stays lubricated in there. I'd rather hang onto knowledge for the off chance I need to review it again than discard it later. Yeah, repair manuals are different, but it's less pages to flip through when I go "what's my ATF capacity again?"
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September 5th, 2017, 06:05 AM | #9 | |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
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Quote:
Take that graphing calculator... if you were to use all those "extremely useful" features regularly, you wouldn't need to refer to the manual all the time. See Ludd's Third Law.... BTW these are "laws" in the sense of "Murphy's Law." It's a joke, son.
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I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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September 5th, 2017, 06:47 AM | #10 | |
Guy Who Enjoys Riding
Name: Jim
Location: North Carolina
Join Date: Jul 2016 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: A lot.
MOTM - Oct '18, Aug '17, Aug '16
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Quote:
My parents and I, and another couple, went to a local boat ramp at Seneca Creek on the Potomac River, to try it out for the first time. We got it launched and all got in, and after getting another boater to show us how to install the drain plug to stop the water that was rushing in, Dad tried to start the engine. It would sputter a little, but would not run. I suggested swapping the two spark plug wires, in case they had been reversed, but Dad said that the 1935 Harley he had during WWII fired both plugs at the same time (wasted spark), so that wasn't the problem. He tried everything he could think of, checking fuel flow, power to the ignition system, etc.. After running the battery down, he reverted to using a rope on the flywheel to keep trying. Finally, after probably an hour and a half, I rephrased my suggestion so that instead of suggesting that he swap the plug wires, I said "The manual says that if it behaves like this, to reverse the plug wires." His head snapped around and he looked at me, and asked "The manual? Why didn't you say you read it in the manual?" At nine years old, I didn't realize I had to explain why I was suggesting something like that. He reversed the plug wires, and it immediately started at the next attempt. Luckily we still had 45 minutes or so before sunset. I still have the boat. |
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September 7th, 2017, 08:13 AM | #11 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
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On reflection you guys have a valid point. Sold. I've revised the Eighth Law:
If you need to keep referring to the user manual, the device is probably too complicated. Also added a Ninth Law. There is value in adopting technology that you understand. That one is tricky, because so much useful technology is beyond comprehension for most people. It might as well be magic to them. So stuff you understand isn't "better" in the sense of utility, but it is "better" in that you know what's going on... and by extension, how to optimize usage, diagnose problems, and possibly fix them. Carburetors are a good example. If you really understand how a carb works, it's a lovely, ingenious piece of mechanical art. If you don't, it's just a frustrating, cantankerous, fist-sized lump of metal.
__________________________________________________
I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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September 7th, 2017, 10:53 AM | #12 |
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September 7th, 2017, 11:03 AM | #13 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
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Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): Aprilia RS660 Posts: A lot.
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New one, from a friend:
Ludd's Tenth Law: Moving parts designed to be serviced are a sign of quality.
__________________________________________________
I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
September 10th, 2017, 03:17 PM | #14 |
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Absolutely! Anyone who makes a sealed automatic transmission can go **** a brick.
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October 3rd, 2017, 06:58 AM | #15 |
Cat herder
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A new one popped into my head just now:
Ludd's Eleventh Law: Electronic technology becomes useless long before it wears out. The reverse is true of mechanical devices.
__________________________________________________
I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
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December 11th, 2017, 09:39 AM | #16 |
Cat herder
Name: Gort
Location: A secret lair which, being secret, has an undisclosed location
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MOTM - Jul '18, Nov '16, Aug '14, May '13
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There are a couple of sayings I find myself sharing again and again. I'm sure others have said these things, but I think I made them up.
It strikes me that they show a bit of a Luddite streak... even though I'm no Luddite, at least in my own mind (says the guy who has a slide rule on his desk). So I've decided to call them Ludd's Laws. (Luddites are named after Ned Ludd... google it.) Ludd's First Law: Never buy Version 1.0 of anything. Ludd's Second Law: Stop chasing new/cheap. Buy quality. Buy it once. Keep it forever. Ludd's Third Law: It doesn't matter how cool the tech is if you never use it. Ludd's Fourth Law: If it's not there, it can't break. Ludd's Fifth Law: Technology always fails you when you need it most. Ludd's Sixth Law: Newer is not necessarily better. Ludd's Seventh Law: It's possible to have too many bells and whistles. Ludd's Eighth Law: If you need to keep referring to the user manual, the device is probably too complicated. Ludd's Ninth Law: There is value in adopting technology that you understand. Ludd's Tenth Law: Moving parts designed to be serviced are a sign of quality. Ludd's Eleventh Law: Electronic technology becomes useless long before it wears out. The reverse is true of mechanical devices. Ludd's Twelfth Law: Any information that relies on technology for storage will effectively cease to exist once that technology becomes obsolete. Looking for suggestions to add to the list. Criteria: Any suggested law must reflect a devotion to common sense, simplicity, proven value, and substance over form.
__________________________________________________
I am NOT an adrenaline junkie, I'm a skill junkie. - csmith12 Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est. Heri historia. Cras mysterium. Hodie donum est. Carpe diem. |
1 out of 1 members found this post helpful. |
December 12th, 2017, 12:43 AM | #17 |
.
Name: .
Location: .
Join Date: Aug 2014 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: A lot.
MOTM - July '15
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How about:
"If the warranty period of the product has anything to do with your purchasing decision, it's probably junk, anyway." |
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December 12th, 2017, 12:20 PM | #18 |
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December 21st, 2017, 11:52 PM | #19 |
ninjette.org certified postwhore
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I agree with most of the Ludd's laws! I hate setting things up, which is part of why I like to keep things a long time. Set it up, done, use it.
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