On Sun, Jun 26, 2022 at 11:59 AM, Jeffrey Benedict wrote:
crusty guy came back: "I LIKE KNOBS" in caps.
I'm a fan of knobs too.?
"Back in the day", when microprocessors were new and things like the 8080, 8748, 6800 and 1802 were state of the art, I proposed we use a microprocessors in one of the instruments we manufactured.?
This was a company that made a line of specialized process control and laboratory measurement equipment. Much of out systems involved measuring microvolt signals and micro-ohm resistance changes over long periods of time. For some of our equipment the measurements involves extensive curve fitting and functions like multiplications all done in the op-amp analog world. Although one clever engineer created a bistable oscillator using a CD4001 chip and some other trickery, that if you integrated the output could implement an accurate and stable multiplier. I believe he was able to get some other nonlinear functions as well. As long as you did not need sub-second response, this was an amazing little circuit we used in a few places.?
Because of the cost of the many parts needed to do the analog math and calibration of each system, I proposed building a new project with a microprocessor.?
Wow, was I shot down down in flames. I heard in no uncertain terms, that they did not want a keyboard and all sorts of codes and odd button pressing arrangements to make the operation impossible to understand for the user.
But the thing was I agreed. I explained that the front panel would look no different, a discreet switch or knob for everything, just as in our current instruments. I tried to get across that the internals of the circuitry and the extensive math done by complex finicky analog circuitry could be done more economically, and be more stable, with a microprocessor.?
But, I could never get them to hear that. Microprocessors equaled keypads and cryptic user interfaces. So I designed my next instrument in good old analog. At least I was able to make use of some new "zero offset" op-amps that came along to lessen the need for periodic return of instruments for recalibration. (That was the golden olden days where that was not seen as a profit center, we did not design things to need to be returned and calibrated more than necessary.)
My theory as to why you can't use reason to overcome unexplainable fixed opinions in the executive tier of the company you work at is that, the president or whoever is the blocking factor, has a neighbor in their exclusive gated community or a golf buddy that is a self proclaimed expert on the subject of some new technology with a understanding gained from gossip and trivialized articles in the business journals.?
Anything you say or logical reasoning you try will be crosschecked with the executive's favorite golf buddy/neighbor expert and steered back to the "experts" original opinion no matter what new information you try to present.?
Now if engineers knew how to make emotional appeals that somehow relate circuit stability and parts count to bigger luxury cars, more vintage wines at exclusive restaurants or maybe a private jet for the exec, you would have your argument made. But still will never have, as a engineer nerd, the same status in opinion forming as the neighbor or golf buddy.?
Tom, wb6b
