In , "Ian White, G3SEK"
wrote:

Frank Gilliland wrote:

The lower level is trying to force someone to do it your way.

I can think of a lower level -- saying that I'm trying to "force" anybody to do
anything simply by expressing my opinions.

You are deeply mistaken if you believe that "simply expressing my
opinions" exerts no force on other people.

Let me clue you in he I can't force you to read my posts. I can't prevent you
from tossing me in your killfile. And while I -can- write a post that offers a
different perspective on an issue, I -can't- make up your mind for you. And in
case you didn't notice, a newsgroup is a temporal medium -- i.e, if anyone feels
that I am forcing them to do anything it's because they have a very weak mind.

Earlier, you mentioned someone who was proud of having repainted the
front panel of an old communications receiver. That person may not yet
have the knowledge or the confidence to tinker much inside the case...
but with help and encouragement, they will.

Now what kind of encouragement is it, if someone more experienced comes
along and dismisses their beginning efforts as "not homebrew"? Certainly
you will have a private opinion - but will opening your mouth make them
more likely to stay with electronics and learn something... or less?

More than 40 years ago, I actually *was* that beginner who started
"electronics" with a paintbrush. I've only just realised how lucky I was
to have escaped a put-down, right when it could have done the most
damage.

I'm glad to hear that your fragile ego has not been disturbed by people like me
who are not afraid to tell it like it is. I may take an in-your-face approach,
but that happens to be my personality -- I don't walk on eggshells, I don't play
pop-psychology, and I don't coddle someone for doing mediocre work when I know
they can do better. If painting was all you could accomplish 40 years ago,
consider yourself proud to have learned something more about electronics since
then. But now that you have more knowledge and experience, do you still think
that homebrew electronics includes doing nothing more than painting the front
panel of a radio built by someone else? If so, then we have widely different
perspectives on the subject.

I think that Harry is selling himself and his readers short by not even
considering the use of discrete transistors (claiming that he can't find any
that are fast enough but still hasn't said what he plans to use for a VCO). I
know that he is certainly capable of making a high-speed flip-flop that will
work for his application, and probably better than any prescaler chip he can
find. Whatever he chooses, it's his choice to make. But it's also MY choice to
speak up if I think that he is ignoring a better alternative. And also to point
out that for a very public ham such as him to ask for help in a pirate newsgroup
probably isn't the best way to further the legitimate radio hobbies.

Now, how am I "forcing" anyone to do anything?





-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----