On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the
novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

Never heard of it. I have now of course.

Also Look for La Cit‚ des enfants perdus. The imagery is absolutely
delightful (and rather imaginative). And, Les Revenants (film and series) >>>
And Rubber.

(Periodically, we get in a "mood" to revisit some of the more "thoughtful" >>> flicks we've previously encountered)

Next week will be Besson. His flicks always seem to push the creative
envelope.

Media/Fine artists tend to be more experimental with their craft while
technical people tend to fall into ruts.

Technical people tend to use the best way they know of.
Patents do exist, where some technical person has come up with a better way, but novelty isn't a virtue in itself for technical
people.

As far as I know, Edison didn't put an anode in his light bulb because he knew
in advance whether or not it would help with solving the problem of preventing
the filament evaporating itself on to the inner surface of the glass. He just did it
so he could find out whether or not it was a useful thing to do, and he noticed
it passed a current.

https://patriciahysell.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/02-13/

In other words technical people sometimes do experiments to find out which novelty leads either to something better or something which has never been done
before. They should be free to do this, without having to get a PhD in light bulbs
first.

If you'd ever seen them doing it, you might understand why getting a
Ph.D. in a relevant subject might help. Being free to experiment
doesn't mean that you can do it well, and some training in organising
and documenting the experiments goes a long way.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

was born in 1834, and probably couldn't have got a Ph.D. before he
started experimenting - the degree was initially only awarded by German Universities, and Edison was essentially home schooled by his mother
(who was a trained school-teacher). He was clearly clever enough to have exploited the instruction, but probably wouldn't have seen the point,
any more than John Larkin can.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the
novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

Never heard of it. I have now of course.

Also Look for La Cit? des enfants perdus. The imagery is absolutely
delightful (and rather imaginative). And, Les Revenants (film and series) >>>>
And Rubber.

(Periodically, we get in a "mood" to revisit some of the more "thoughtful" >>>> flicks we've previously encountered)

Next week will be Besson. His flicks always seem to push the creative
envelope.

Media/Fine artists tend to be more experimental with their craft while >>>> technical people tend to fall into ruts.

Technical people tend to use the best way they know of.
Patents do exist, where some technical person has come up with a better way, but novelty isn't a virtue in itself for technical
people.

As far as I know, Edison didn't put an anode in his light bulb because he knew
in advance whether or not it would help with solving the problem of preventing
the filament evaporating itself on to the inner surface of the glass. He just did it
so he could find out whether or not it was a useful thing to do, and he noticed
it passed a current.

https://patriciahysell.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/02-13/

In other words technical people sometimes do experiments to find out which >> novelty leads either to something better or something which has never been done
before. They should be free to do this, without having to get a PhD in light bulbs
first.

If you'd ever seen them doing it, you might understand why getting a Ph.D. in a relevant subject might help.

What Ph.D. or relevant Ph.D. was available in Edison's time which you
think would have helped him? And in what way would it have helped?

Being free to experiment doesn't mean that you can do it well,

But it does mean that some people will discover things which they would not otherwise have discovered.

and some training in organising and documenting the experiments goes a long way.

But you don't need a Ph.D. in it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

was born in 1834, and probably couldn't have got a Ph.D.

Sony nearly went bankrupt over Chromatron until one of their engineers,
who likely didn't have a Ph.D. in CRT design, decided to do an experiment
to see what would happen if he put three cathodes in the gun.

before he started experimenting - the degree was initially only awarded by German Universities, and Edison was essentially home
schooled by his mother (who was a trained school-teacher). He was clearly clever enough to have exploited the instruction, but
probably wouldn't have seen the point, any more than John Larkin can.

So JL was right. It was only a matter of days before you threw another insult.

I do not know what might have happened if one of Edison's employees had
told him that only a clown would put that plate in there, but it's possible that
they may not have lasted long as an employee.

So if HR sees a risk that a potential employee might throw such insults
around, then job offers sent in their direction might be limited.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/09/2026 2:12 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the
novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

Never heard of it. I have now of course.

Also Look for La Cit‚ des enfants perdus. The imagery is absolutely
delightful (and rather imaginative). And, Les Revenants (film and series) >>>>>
And Rubber.

(Periodically, we get in a "mood" to revisit some of the more "thoughtful"
flicks we've previously encountered)

Next week will be Besson. His flicks always seem to push the creative >>>>> envelope.

Media/Fine artists tend to be more experimental with their craft while >>>>> technical people tend to fall into ruts.

Technical people tend to use the best way they know of.
Patents do exist, where some technical person has come up with a better way, but novelty isn't a virtue in itself for technical
people.

As far as I know, Edison didn't put an anode in his light bulb because he knew
in advance whether or not it would help with solving the problem of preventing
the filament evaporating itself on to the inner surface of the glass. He just did it
so he could find out whether or not it was a useful thing to do, and he noticed
it passed a current.

https://patriciahysell.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/02-13/

In other words technical people sometimes do experiments to find out which >>> novelty leads either to something better or something which has never been done
before. They should be free to do this, without having to get a PhD in light bulbs
first.

If you'd ever seen them doing it, you might understand why getting a Ph.D. in a relevant subject might help.

What Ph.D. or relevant Ph.D. was available in Edison's time which you
think would have helped him? And in what way would it have helped?

Being free to experiment doesn't mean that you can do it well,

But it does mean that some people will discover things which they would not otherwise have discovered.

and some training in organising and documenting the experiments goes a long way.

But you don't need a Ph.D. in it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

was born in 1834, and probably couldn't have got a Ph.D.

Sony nearly went bankrupt over Chromatron until one of their engineers,
who likely didn't have a Ph.D. in CRT design, decided to do an experiment
to see what would happen if he put three cathodes in the gun.

The actual story is rather more complicated, and doesn't have much to do
with version you have posted here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinitron

before he started experimenting - the degree was initially only awarded by German Universities, and Edison was essentially home
schooled by his mother (who was a trained school-teacher). He was clearly clever enough to have exploited the instruction, but
probably wouldn't have seen the point, any more than John Larkin can.

So JL was right. It was only a matter of days before you threw another insult.

John Larkin doesn't hire Ph.D.s. He's posted that here. How can
recycling that bit of information constitute an insult?

He will probably experience it as an insult, but he does have a
particular enthusiasm for seeing insults where none were intended.

I do not know what might have happened if one of Edison's employees had
told him that only a clown would put that plate in there, but it's possible that
they may not have lasted long as an employee.

Employees are usually more diplomatic than that. It can be hard work.

So if HR sees a risk that a potential employee might throw such insults around, then job offers sent in their direction might be limited.

That implies that Human Resources can do joined up thinking. I've not
seen any evidence of that anywhere I've worked. One of my friends - who
worked for years for the University of Melbourne Appointments board -
did know one Human Resources Manager who exhibited average intelligence.

He stuck out like a sore thumb and made money lecturing other Human
Resources Managers on the sort of thing anybody doing the job needed to
know (and should have learned in secondary school).

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney




--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the
novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

Never heard of it. I have now of course.

Also Look for La Cit? des enfants perdus. The imagery is absolutely
delightful (and rather imaginative). And, Les Revenants (film and series) >>>>>
And Rubber.

(Periodically, we get in a "mood" to revisit some of the more "thoughtful"
flicks we've previously encountered)

Next week will be Besson. His flicks always seem to push the creative >>>>> envelope.

Media/Fine artists tend to be more experimental with their craft while >>>>> technical people tend to fall into ruts.

Technical people tend to use the best way they know of.
Patents do exist, where some technical person has come up with a better way, but novelty isn't a virtue in itself for technical
people.

As far as I know, Edison didn't put an anode in his light bulb because he knew
in advance whether or not it would help with solving the problem of preventing
the filament evaporating itself on to the inner surface of the glass. He just did it
so he could find out whether or not it was a useful thing to do, and he noticed
it passed a current.

https://patriciahysell.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/02-13/

In other words technical people sometimes do experiments to find out which >>> novelty leads either to something better or something which has never been done
before. They should be free to do this, without having to get a PhD in light bulbs
first.

If you'd ever seen them doing it, you might understand why getting a Ph.D. in a relevant subject might help.

What Ph.D. or relevant Ph.D. was available in Edison's time which you
think would have helped him? And in what way would it have helped?

I have heard that Edison didn't understand Ohm's Law, which is why he
only distributed low voltage power. Someone might have helped him
with that.

Being free to experiment doesn't mean that you can do it well,

But it does mean that some people will discover things which they would not >otherwise have discovered.

Observation and sometimes application usually precedes theory.

and some training in organising and documenting the experiments goes a long way.

But you don't need a Ph.D. in it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

was born in 1834, and probably couldn't have got a Ph.D.

Sony nearly went bankrupt over Chromatron until one of their engineers,
who likely didn't have a Ph.D. in CRT design, decided to do an experiment
to see what would happen if he put three cathodes in the gun.

before he started experimenting - the degree was initially only awarded by German Universities, and Edison was essentially home
schooled by his mother (who was a trained school-teacher). He was clearly clever enough to have exploited the instruction, but
probably wouldn't have seen the point, any more than John Larkin can.

So JL was right. It was only a matter of days before you threw another insult.

I do not know what might have happened if one of Edison's employees had
told him that only a clown would put that plate in there, but it's possible that
they may not have lasted long as an employee.

So if HR sees a risk that a potential employee might throw such insults >around, then job offers sent in their direction might be limited.

Few HR people know much about electronics.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

"john larkin" <jl@glen--canyon.com> wrote in message news:d9pd9l9cqut37vffemo878mbkju7gv2rb7@4ax.com...

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the
novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

...

Few HR people know much about electronics.

Or anything which isn't obvious.

I decided to have a look at what HR books are available and downloaded one. After opening it at a random page I found this:

An income statement is often used interchangeably with which of the following terms?
A. Profit and loss statement
B. Statement of cash flows
C. Balance sheet
D. None of the above

After taking a few seconds to decide that the answer must be A I found that Google
AI agrees.

So we can expect AI to take over HR if it hasn't done so already.
Such AI will, of course, draw on its vast database of knowledge
which includes Usenet.

There is still no consistent answer from AI to this question.

An ideal operational amplifier (op amp) is powered from +15V and -15V rails. The non-inverting input of the op amp is grounded.
The inverting input of the op amp has a 20k ohm resistor R4 connected to the output of the op amp.
The inverting input of the op amp is also connected to a 10k ohm resistor R3. The other end of R3 is connected to the junction of two further resistors R1 and R2.
R1 and R2 are both 20k ohm.
R1 has its other end connected to a +12V voltage source.
R2 has its other end connected to ground.
What is the op amp output voltage?

Those that get it right don't give the quick and easy Thevenin equivalent
of R1 and R2 so it's -6V answer but labour the point in a way which
is likely to confuse students.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:52:52 -0700, john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com>
wrote:

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the
novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

Never heard of it. I have now of course.

Also Look for La Cit? des enfants perdus. The imagery is absolutely >>>>>> delightful (and rather imaginative). And, Les Revenants (film and series)

And Rubber.

(Periodically, we get in a "mood" to revisit some of the more "thoughtful"
flicks we've previously encountered)

Next week will be Besson. His flicks always seem to push the creative >>>>>> envelope.

Media/Fine artists tend to be more experimental with their craft while >>>>>> technical people tend to fall into ruts.

Technical people tend to use the best way they know of.
Patents do exist, where some technical person has come up with a better way, but novelty isn't a virtue in itself for technical
people.

As far as I know, Edison didn't put an anode in his light bulb because he knew
in advance whether or not it would help with solving the problem of preventing
the filament evaporating itself on to the inner surface of the glass. He just did it
so he could find out whether or not it was a useful thing to do, and he noticed
it passed a current.

https://patriciahysell.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/02-13/

In other words technical people sometimes do experiments to find out which >>>> novelty leads either to something better or something which has never been done
before. They should be free to do this, without having to get a PhD in light bulbs
first.

If you'd ever seen them doing it, you might understand why getting a Ph.D. in a relevant subject might help.

What Ph.D. or relevant Ph.D. was available in Edison's time which you
think would have helped him? And in what way would it have helped?

I have heard that Edison didn't understand Ohm's Law, which is why he
only distributed low voltage power. Someone might have helped him
with that.

What they meant is that Edison didn't understand that high-voltage had
lower losses for distribution lines than the low voltages that he was
stuck with, because he had bet everything on DC power systems. He
understood this perfectly well. The problem being that Westinghouse
was promoting AC, which had the singular advantage that transformers
work on AC, so thousand-volt systems were practical. Edison lost that
fight.

Joe





--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 1/09/2026 2:12 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

<snip>

As far as I know, Edison didn't put an anode in his light bulb because he knew
in advance whether or not it would help with solving the problem of preventing
the filament evaporating itself on to the inner surface of the glass. He just did it
so he could find out whether or not it was a useful thing to do, and he noticed
it passed a current.

https://patriciahysell.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/02-13/

In other words technical people sometimes do experiments to find out which >>> novelty leads either to something better or something which has never been done
before. They should be free to do this, without having to get a PhD in light bulbs
first.

If you'd ever seen them doing it, you might understand why getting a Ph.D. in a relevant subject might help.

What Ph.D. or relevant Ph.D. was available in Edison's time which you
think would have helped him? And in what way would it have helped?

If you'd read a bit more of what I posted, you'd be aware that I told
you Edison was born too early, and in quite the wrong social class, for
a Ph.D. to have been an option for him. The Ph.D. is essentially a
research project where where you study a novel problem and write up your results in the kind of detail which would make a publishable paper in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. It good training for relating what you
are doing to earlier published work - that's need if you are going to
publish the work and in documenting your work for eventual publication,
Since a patent is a form of scientific (or at least technical)
publication, Ph.D. training is relevant.

Being free to experiment doesn't mean that you can do it well,

But it does mean that some people will discover things which they would not otherwise have discovered.

and some training in organising and documenting the experiments goes a long way.

But you don't need a Ph.D. in it.

Of course not. But if you have got a Ph.D. you will probably do it better.

<snip>

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Tue, 1 Sep 2026 11:45:36 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"john larkin" <jl@glen--canyon.com> wrote in message news:d9pd9l9cqut37vffemo878mbkju7gv2rb7@4ax.com...

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the >>>>>>>>> novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

...

Few HR people know much about electronics.

Or anything which isn't obvious.

I decided to have a look at what HR books are available and downloaded one. >After opening it at a random page I found this:

An income statement is often used interchangeably with which of the following terms?
A. Profit and loss statement
B. Statement of cash flows
C. Balance sheet
D. None of the above

After taking a few seconds to decide that the answer must be A I found that Google
AI agrees.

So we can expect AI to take over HR if it hasn't done so already.
Such AI will, of course, draw on its vast database of knowledge
which includes Usenet.

There is still no consistent answer from AI to this question.

An ideal operational amplifier (op amp) is powered from +15V and -15V rails. >The non-inverting input of the op amp is grounded.
The inverting input of the op amp has a 20k ohm resistor R4 connected to the output of the op amp.
The inverting input of the op amp is also connected to a 10k ohm resistor R3. >The other end of R3 is connected to the junction of two further resistors R1 and R2.
R1 and R2 are both 20k ohm.
R1 has its other end connected to a +12V voltage source.
R2 has its other end connected to ground.
What is the op amp output voltage?

Those that get it right don't give the quick and easy Thevenin equivalent
of R1 and R2 so it's -6V answer but labour the point in a way which
is likely to confuse students.

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

"john larkin" <jl@glen--canyon.com> wrote in message news:310f9ll0sbhrk25ffb4d5jn2v057ee0a02@4ax.com...

On Tue, 1 Sep 2026 11:45:36 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"john larkin" <jl@glen--canyon.com> wrote in message news:d9pd9l9cqut37vffemo878mbkju7gv2rb7@4ax.com...

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the >>>>>>>>>> novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining >>>>>>>>>> (though odd).

...

Few HR people know much about electronics.

Or anything which isn't obvious.

I decided to have a look at what HR books are available and downloaded one. >>After opening it at a random page I found this:

An income statement is often used interchangeably with which of the following terms?
A. Profit and loss statement
B. Statement of cash flows
C. Balance sheet
D. None of the above

After taking a few seconds to decide that the answer must be A I found that Google
AI agrees.

So we can expect AI to take over HR if it hasn't done so already.
Such AI will, of course, draw on its vast database of knowledge
which includes Usenet.

There is still no consistent answer from AI to this question.

An ideal operational amplifier (op amp) is powered from +15V and -15V rails. >>The non-inverting input of the op amp is grounded.
The inverting input of the op amp has a 20k ohm resistor R4 connected to the output of the op amp.
The inverting input of the op amp is also connected to a 10k ohm resistor R3. >>The other end of R3 is connected to the junction of two further resistors R1 and R2.
R1 and R2 are both 20k ohm.
R1 has its other end connected to a +12V voltage source.
R2 has its other end connected to ground.
What is the op amp output voltage?

Those that get it right don't give the quick and easy Thevenin equivalent >>of R1 and R2 so it's -6V answer but labour the point in a way which
is likely to confuse students.

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

I think I'd have been pre teen and able to answer that but hard to remember exactly.
This would have explained it to me. https://www.google.com/search?q=philips+guide+to+junior+electronics

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2/09/2026 11:52 am, john larkin wrote:

On Tue, 1 Sep 2026 11:45:36 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"john larkin" <jl@glen--canyon.com> wrote in message news:d9pd9l9cqut37vffemo878mbkju7gv2rb7@4ax.com...

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the >>>>>>>>>> novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining >>>>>>>>>> (though odd).

...

Few HR people know much about electronics.

Or anything which isn't obvious.

I decided to have a look at what HR books are available and downloaded one. >> After opening it at a random page I found this:

An income statement is often used interchangeably with which of the following terms?
A. Profit and loss statement
B. Statement of cash flows
C. Balance sheet
D. None of the above

After taking a few seconds to decide that the answer must be A I found that Google
AI agrees.

So we can expect AI to take over HR if it hasn't done so already.
Such AI will, of course, draw on its vast database of knowledge
which includes Usenet.

There is still no consistent answer from AI to this question.

An ideal operational amplifier (op amp) is powered from +15V and -15V rails. >> The non-inverting input of the op amp is grounded.
The inverting input of the op amp has a 20k ohm resistor R4 connected to the output of the op amp.
The inverting input of the op amp is also connected to a 10k ohm resistor R3.
The other end of R3 is connected to the junction of two further resistors R1 and R2.
R1 and R2 are both 20k ohm.
R1 has its other end connected to a +12V voltage source.
R2 has its other end connected to ground.
What is the op amp output voltage?

Those that get it right don't give the quick and easy Thevenin equivalent
of R1 and R2 so it's -6V answer but labour the point in a way which
is likely to confuse students.

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

I'd get worried if an interviewer asked me such an insulting simple
question. At the very least I'd ask them how they screened the people
they invited in for interview.

Apparently the Cambridge Instruments human factors department once set
up an interview between an engineer and a window dresser who'd got bored
with window dressing for a department store and fancied trying
electronic engineering.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2/09/2026 12:52 am, john larkin wrote:

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

<snip>

So if HR sees a risk that a potential employee might throw such insults
around, then job offers sent in their direction might be limited.

Few HR people know much about electronics.

That isn't the point here. The idea here is that Human Resources people
might know enough about inter-personal relationships to be able to
predict when a particular potential employee might be excessively
undiplomatic in expressing scepticism about the projects they were
working on.

I've never seen any sign of that kind of expertise in the Human Factors
people I've dealt with. Edward Rawde some funny idea but that one is odd
- even for him.

They might able to avoid hiring convicted criminals - but one of my
colleagues at Cambridge Instruments was known (at least to some of his colleagues) to have spent time in prison for receiving stolen goods.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Edward Rawde <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the
novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining
(though odd).

Never heard of it. I have now of course.

Also Look for La Cit‚ des enfants perdus. The imagery is absolutely
delightful (and rather imaginative). And, Les Revenants (film and series) >>>
And Rubber.

(Periodically, we get in a "mood" to revisit some of the more "thoughtful" >>> flicks we've previously encountered)

Next week will be Besson. His flicks always seem to push the creative
envelope.

Media/Fine artists tend to be more experimental with their craft while
technical people tend to fall into ruts.

Technical people tend to use the best way they know of.
Patents do exist, where some technical person has come up with a better way, but novelty isn't a virtue in itself for technical
people.

As far as I know, Edison didn't put an anode in his light bulb because he knew
in advance whether or not it would help with solving the problem of preventing
the filament evaporating itself on to the inner surface of the glass. He just did it
so he could find out whether or not it was a useful thing to do, and he noticed
it passed a current.

https://patriciahysell.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/02-13/

In other words technical people sometimes do experiments to find out which novelty leads either to something better or something which has never been done
before. They should be free to do this, without having to get a PhD in light bulbs
first.

AFAIK in most of the world lack of PhD does not stop anybody from
doing experiments. But there are other obstacles, for example
lack of money or lack of time. And when you want to get money
needed to do experiments from some third party, you need to convice
them that this is a good idea. PhD may help in this part.

--
Waldek Hebisch

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 9/2/2026 3:28 PM, Waldek Hebisch wrote:

AFAIK in most of the world lack of PhD does not stop anybody from
doing experiments. But there are other obstacles, for example
lack of money or lack of time. And when you want to get money
needed to do experiments from some third party, you need to convice
them that this is a good idea. PhD may help in this part.

IME, a proven track record is far more effective. Ideas aren't
nearly as important as *execution*.

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration"

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com> writes:

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

I've never understood why people panic at such things. This seems like
the EE version of Fizzbuzz: <https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/>

Kragen

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

I've never understood why people panic at such things. This seems like
the EE version of Fizzbuzz: <https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/>

I suspect it has more to do with the interview/hiring process
than actual skillsets.

I've seen applicants unable to configure an op-amp as a unity gain
buffer.

I've found that good interview questions identify how a prospect
*approaches* a problem. As such, they don't require pencil and
paper but, rather, a conversation in which the questions asked
(by the applicant) reveal whether they can *think* about a problem,
not whether they can recall a particular skillset in that setting.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:47:24 -0300, Kragen Javier Sitaker <kragen@canonical.org> wrote:

john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com> writes:

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

I've never understood why people panic at such things. This seems like
the EE version of Fizzbuzz: ><https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/>

Kragen

CompSci doesn't teach programming.

As far as voltage dividers go, I'm sponsoring/mentoring some senior
capstone projects at a couple of nearby universities. That will give
me a chance to possibly meet and work with the rare kid that actually understands electricity.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

"Kragen Javier Sitaker" <kragen@canonical.org> wrote in message news:87a4px6k0z.fsf_-_@debian...

john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com> writes:

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

I've never understood why people panic at such things. This seems like
the EE version of Fizzbuzz: <https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/>

This problem will get worse because I'd have to admit that although I wouldn't take long to write and debug such a program myself, I'd do the following because it may provide ideas for doing it more efficiently than I did.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Write+a+program+in+python+that+prints+the+numbers+from+1+to+100.+But+for+multiples+of+three+print+"Fizz"+instead+of+the+number+and+for+the+multiples+of+five+print+"Buzz."+For+numbers+which+are+multiples+of+both+three+and+five+print+"FizzBuzz."

The result was this.

for num in range(1, 101):
output = ""
if num % 3 == 0:
output += "Fizz"
if num % 5 == 0:
output += "Buzz"

# If output is still empty, print the number; otherwise print the string
print(output if output else num)

Which was tested here.
https://www.online-python.com/

Kragen

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 5/09/2026 3:47 am, john larkin wrote:

On Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:47:24 -0300, Kragen Javier Sitaker <kragen@canonical.org> wrote:

john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com> writes:

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

I've never understood why people panic at such things. This seems like
the EE version of Fizzbuzz:
<https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/>

Kragen

CompSci doesn't teach programming.

As far as voltage dividers go, I'm sponsoring/mentoring some senior
capstone projects at a couple of nearby universities. That will give
me a chance to possibly meet and work with the rare kid that actually understands electricity.

With any luck you will meet one of the even rarer kids who can identify
a pompous creep and know how to send him up.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

On 9/2/2026 3:28 PM, Waldek Hebisch wrote:

AFAIK in most of the world lack of PhD does not stop anybody from
doing experiments. But there are other obstacles, for example
lack of money or lack of time. And when you want to get money
needed to do experiments from some third party, you need to convice
them that this is a good idea. PhD may help in this part.

IME, a proven track record is far more effective. Ideas aren't
nearly as important as *execution*.

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration"

Sure. However:

1) To have a proven track record you need the first time.

2) PhD is really not a binary thing. One needs to write thesis,
which may be only words. But thesis may be also a substantial
project delivering tangible things and showing sucessful
execution in technical area.

--
Waldek Hebisch

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 9/5/2026 5:43 AM, Waldek Hebisch wrote:

Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

On 9/2/2026 3:28 PM, Waldek Hebisch wrote:

AFAIK in most of the world lack of PhD does not stop anybody from
doing experiments. But there are other obstacles, for example
lack of money or lack of time. And when you want to get money
needed to do experiments from some third party, you need to convice
them that this is a good idea. PhD may help in this part.

IME, a proven track record is far more effective. Ideas aren't
nearly as important as *execution*.

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration"

Sure. However:

1) To have a proven track record you need the first time.

Of course! But there need only be *one* "first time".
In most places, the "tech" community is relatively small;
it's not uncommon to bump into the same people at many different
places, over the years.

2) PhD is really not a binary thing. One needs to write thesis,
which may be only words. But thesis may be also a substantial
project delivering tangible things and showing sucessful
execution in technical area.

I think most schools require a "senior project" of some degree
of originality, even for a BS. And, that not counting any "lab"
courses that you took along the way.

[I designed a CDI in one; a two-player "Breakout" in another.]

Part of that being a means of showing you can take a project
(idea) through to completion, beyond just "homework assignments"
(which often just test how well you can regurgitate material
in a different form).

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 5/09/2026 11:40 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 9/5/2026 5:43 AM, Waldek Hebisch wrote:

Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

On 9/2/2026 3:28 PM, Waldek Hebisch wrote:

<snip>

I think most schools require a "senior project" of some degree
of originality, even for a BS.ÿ And, that not counting any "lab"
courses that you took along the way.

[I designed a CDI in one; a two-player "Breakout" in another.]

Part of that being a means of showing you can take a project
(idea) through to completion, beyond just "homework assignments"
(which often just test how well you can regurgitate material
in a different form).

Not exactly. A Ph.D. requires a fairly serious engagement with the
published literature - it has to include a literature review that sets
it in context with earlier published work and has to be be original
enough to be publishable in it's own right, though not necessarily in
any kind of high-prestige journal.

I never published mine, but that was because I was never able to write a
short enough paper to be remotely publishable. By the time I'd mastered
the art of writing publishable papers, my Ph.D. work was too old to be
all that interesting, and I never came across a journal where it would
have been a good fit. Still haven't.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Sat, 5 Sep 2026 22:32:44 +1000, Bill Sloman <bill.sloman@ieee.org>
wrote:

On 5/09/2026 3:47 am, john larkin wrote:

On Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:47:24 -0300, Kragen Javier Sitaker
<kragen@canonical.org> wrote:

john larkin <jl@glen--canyon.com> writes:

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

I've never understood why people panic at such things. This seems like
the EE version of Fizzbuzz:
<https://blog.codinghorror.com/why-cant-programmers-program/>

Kragen

CompSci doesn't teach programming.

As far as voltage dividers go, I'm sponsoring/mentoring some senior
capstone projects at a couple of nearby universities. That will give
me a chance to possibly meet and work with the rare kid that actually
understands electricity.

With any luck you will meet one of the even rarer kids who can identify
a pompous creep and know how to send him up.

My interns, so far, have wanted to come back for a second summer
session. Well, we do pay them a lot.

They have said that they learned a lot, and one recently said that he
was honored to be allowed to intern with us. He went to a 2-year
community college and has just got into UC Berkeley for his last 2
years; that almost never happens.

What shocked me is that the recent EE grads that I've met don't know
what a transmission line is. I have to teach them.



John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 9/2/26 02:52, john larkin wrote:

On Tue, 1 Sep 2026 11:45:36 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"john larkin" <jl@glen--canyon.com> wrote in message news:d9pd9l9cqut37vffemo878mbkju7gv2rb7@4ax.com...

On Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:12:05 -0400, "Edward Rawde"
<invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:11743di$105gq$1@dont-email.me...

On 31/08/2026 2:19 am, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Bill Sloman" <bill.sloman@ieee.org> wrote in message news:1170co1$3pmhg$1@dont-email.me...

On 30/08/2026 2:09 pm, Don Y wrote:

On 8/29/2026 8:23 PM, Edward Rawde wrote:

"Don Y" <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote in message news:11705f3$3nv4s$1@dont-email.me...

It had been a while since we'd watched this. Yet, despite the >>>>>>>>>> novelty being gone, it was, still, remarkably entertaining >>>>>>>>>> (though odd).

...

Few HR people know much about electronics.

Or anything which isn't obvious.

I decided to have a look at what HR books are available and downloaded one. >> After opening it at a random page I found this:

An income statement is often used interchangeably with which of the following terms?
A. Profit and loss statement
B. Statement of cash flows
C. Balance sheet
D. None of the above

After taking a few seconds to decide that the answer must be A I found that Google
AI agrees.

So we can expect AI to take over HR if it hasn't done so already.
Such AI will, of course, draw on its vast database of knowledge
which includes Usenet.

There is still no consistent answer from AI to this question.

An ideal operational amplifier (op amp) is powered from +15V and -15V rails. >> The non-inverting input of the op amp is grounded.
The inverting input of the op amp has a 20k ohm resistor R4 connected to the output of the op amp.
The inverting input of the op amp is also connected to a 10k ohm resistor R3.
The other end of R3 is connected to the junction of two further resistors R1 and R2.
R1 and R2 are both 20k ohm.
R1 has its other end connected to a +12V voltage source.
R2 has its other end connected to ground.
What is the op amp output voltage?

Those that get it right don't give the quick and easy Thevenin equivalent
of R1 and R2 so it's -6V answer but labour the point in a way which
is likely to confuse students.

I give student/interviewees a whiteboard test:

I draw a 10 volt battery with the negative end grounded.

From the pos end, we have a 9K resistor and then a 1K resistor to
ground.

What's the voltage at the resistor junction?

It's fun to see them panic.

Try asking them to draw a bridge rectifier.

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney



--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

John Larkin
Highland Tech Glen Canyon Design Center
Lunatic Fringe Electronics

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)