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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 15, 2012 - 01:50pm PT
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Peter Croft and I am doing a big project that has a bunch of sidebars (one of them below). If you have any "laws" to add, we'd be most pleased to hear what they are.
JL
Several Fundamental Laws of Engineering (relevant to trad climbing)
If it isn't broken, don't fix it.
If you fiddle with something long enough, it will break.
It works better if you anchor it down.
If a component surpasses the specs of real world need, it is not “stronger,” it is heavier.
A working example is worth a thousand manual pages.
Failures occur where two parts join.
Systems grow more complex with time.
If it's too complex, rebuild it.
Small parts vanish when dropped.
Get the facts, make an analysis, apply judgment, make a decision; do not vacillate.
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High Fructose Corn Spirit
Gym climber
-A race of corn eaters
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Aug 15, 2012 - 01:53pm PT
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Strength varies as the square, weight as the cube.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Aug 15, 2012 - 01:57pm PT
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An engineers job is to draw pictures and write specifications for things that can't be built, don't exist or won't work.
An architect does the same thing except when he gets done it must be ugly as well.
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Bowser
Social climber
Durango CO
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Aug 15, 2012 - 01:57pm PT
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Stronger and lighter = more $$$
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:01pm PT
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A corollary to KISS:
"Never trust the Army Corps of Engineers" - Mimi Lapiscinier-New Orleans
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Grampa
climber
from SoCal
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:03pm PT
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Fundamental Risk Theory:
"The more components in a system, the higher the probability of system failure."
Pretty simple concept, the more parts there are the more chances one will fail leading to a system wide failure.
OK, what would have the lowest probability of system failure, a hex ( 3 parts: hex, cable, connection ) or a cam ( lots of parts ) ?
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TwistedCrank
climber
Dingleberry Gulch, Ideeho
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:06pm PT
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An object, when pushed hard enough, will fall.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:09pm PT
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Get the data.
RTFM
Document your work, your processes, your designs.
If you can't model it, you don't understand it.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:11pm PT
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“Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems.”
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rrrADAM
Trad climber
LBMF
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:18pm PT
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Some of the engineers at my work don't like my email signature:
"One test is worth a thousand expert opinions."
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:18pm PT
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Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick at most 2.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:20pm PT
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Marketing axiom:
Shoot the engineer and ship the product.
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brawa
climber
SAN
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:23pm PT
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Cheap, fast, good -- pick two.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:23pm PT
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http://www.well.com/~dmsml/laws.html
GRUNDMAN'S LAW - Under the most carefully controlled conditions of pressure, temperature, humidity and other variables, the system will perform as It damn well pleases.
KNIGHT'S LAW -- A pat on the back Is only a few centimeters from a kick In the pants.
HlDLEY'S LAW -- Nothing Is Impossible for a man who doesn't have to do the work.
DUNCAN'S LAW -- When In doubt, mumble.
EVAN'S LAW -- Every man has a scheme that will not work.
HULKO'S LAW -- A theory Is better than Its explanation.
STORYK'S LAW -- The amount of work done varies Inversely with the amount of time spent In the office
WORAM'S LAW -- Any sufficiently advanced technology Is Indistinguishable from magic.
NORDAHL'S LAW -- Everything goes wrong at once.
EMERMAN'S LAW -- In a crisis that forces a choice to be made among alternative courses of action, people tend to choose the worst possible course.
TARSIA'S LAW -- The obvious answer Is always overlooked.
SNODDY'S LAW -- It works better If you plug It In.
HARRISON'S LAW -- There Is always an easy answer to every problem -- neat, plausible, and wrong.
MEADOW'S LAW -- It won't work.
WESTLAKE'S LAW -- The first 90 percent of the project takes 10 percent of the time, and the last 10 percent takes the other 90 percent.
HARNED'S LAW -- Once you open a can of worms, the only way to re-can them Is to use a larger can.
SCHNEE'S LAW -- Anything that begins well will end badly. [Note: The converse of this law Is not true.]
STONE'S LAW -- Necessity is the mother of strange bedfellows.
GOLDEN'S LAW -- A man with one watch knows what time It Is. A man with two watches Is never sure.
PERRY'S LAW - If the facts do not conform to the theory, they must be disposed of.
GARAY'S LAW -- An object will fall so as to do the most damage.
KELSEY'S LAW - Make three correct guesses consecutively and you will establish yourself as an expert.
LIGHTNER'S LAW -- If It happens, lt must be possible.
STEELE'S LAW -- Social Innovations tend to the level of minimum well being.
GUY'S LAW -- The probability of a given event occurring Is Inversely proportional to Its desirability.
MOYSSlADIS' LAW -- As soon as you mention something, If It's good, It goes away; If It's bad, It happens.
CAPPS' LAW -- If It can find a way to wear out faster, It will.
LlPPELL'S LAW -- if a research project Is not worth doing, It is not worth doing well.
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brawa
climber
SAN
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:25pm PT
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80/20 Rule: 80% of the work takes 20% of the time. The remaining 20% of work takes 80% of the time.
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10b4me
Ice climber
dingy room at the Happy boulders hotel
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:26pm PT
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a picture is worth a thousand words.
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rrrADAM
Trad climber
LBMF
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:29pm PT
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Nice, Ed...
The unit of measure representing the weight of ones faith in God:
1 Billy Graham
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Ropeboy
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:30pm PT
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If the designer tests it, it will be safe. If a novice tests it, fatal flaws will become apparent.
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Foolproof never is.
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If it has more parts than a rope, it can fail.
.....
agree with previous post: Keep it Simple, Stupid.
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euro-brief-guy
Boulder climber
Auburn, ca
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:30pm PT
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Many things I learned from working in high tech for 20 years. Here are a few:
An engineer with a Bachelors degree and 10 years experience is worth more 10 PHD's and 0 years experience.
Ideally, engineer a product to it's ultimate need and requirements...no more no less
Making something simple is always harder than making it more complex.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Aug 15, 2012 - 02:31pm PT
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a picture that has a stored size of 1000 words isn't very high resolution...
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