[Tfug] Connectors
johngalt1
johngalt1 at uswest.net
Sun Jun 13 11:42:38 MST 2010
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bexley Hall" <bexley401>
To: "Tucson Free Unix Group" <tfug at tfug.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 8:05 AM
Subject: Re: [Tfug] Connectors
> --- On Sat, 7/12/08, Jeremy D Rogers
> <jdrogers at optics.arizona.edu> wrote:
>
>> I'll add to this rant.. (sorry, no *good* experience
>> here to offer)
>>
>> WTF was up with the dell cases with the USB connectors in
>> the front of the case that pointed down at an angle and
>> hidden behind a plastic panel that only hinged out a
>> couple
>> inches?!
>
> What's more amusing are the Dell models with the same
> connector
> locations BUT NO HINGED PLASTIC PANEL! (i.e., *no* way to
> access them!)
>
>> Seriously, I found it was easier to make a blind
>> connection
>> to the back of the case where the connection was at least
>> straight than to blindly (unless you got you cheek on the
>> floor) guess if your angle to the case needed to be 30
>> degrees or 45 degrees in addition to the axial
>> orientation
>> and x-y location all being hidden from view behind the
>> panel. What
>> a mess.
>
> <grin> Well, I'll reserve my comments on "Mechanical
> Engineers"
> :-/
>Please elucidate us on the concept of Mechanical Engineers
>in a prototype/design/development or any other environment
>when combined with "sparkies" (Electrical Engineers). .
When it's an Electronic product / environment,
so much lead time is spent getting the thing working -
AND/OR -
the packaging / thermal issues are discounted / deferred by
some MBA type - AND/OR -
the sparkies (less experienced ones, moreso) would rather
avoid involving the packing / thermal issues until it's too
late because that could change some part of their design...
>In my experience, the engineering manager (an oxy-moron) or
Not an engineering manager, but a project manager who is
beholden to the MBA types...
>some bean counter waits until the project is already
>developed before funding time for a packaging engineer, or
>thermal engineer. This is often after the problems have
>become so significant such that the technicians refuse to
>continue doing engineering work.
This is so true...
>As to the issue at hand, I have one of those blasted Dells
>with the angular USB ports. I think it sucks. If an ME
>created that, they did so without mocking up the result and
>trying it out..
It is not clear at what angle the plug should be inserted
at....made more difficult because of that blasted hood
thing... -
>But moreso, the USB port is lame because you can easily try
>to insert it 180 deg out and it will not give you an
>indication it is
That is true with any USB connector...
I too hate that dumb USB port on Dells.
IMO, industrial designers do that stuff, not engineers. At
least that was the case when I worked in a consumer
electronics company.
Engineers could design a functional (maybe) but probably
ugly case. Therefore, the overall look and form is crafted
by a art center design college type... who got training how
plastic injection molding / sheet metal tooling works,
perhaps if they're effective...
It would be uncommon for an engineer to come up with a
pretty picture that business types could look at to make
decisions on...
Think of the metaphor of Architects versus Structural, HVAC,
Piping - Mechanical Engineers, etc for buildings.
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