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I second everything you said, plus: 200

posted by  someone claiming to be Dharvey on  Sat Mar 13 12:33 CST 2004 [RELATED]

"engineers must recognize that there is no shame in a lever pulling
on a Bowden cable or a plain 'ol SPST switch. Not everything has
to be electronically controlled, and sometimes the most obvious
solution is the best."

Best (worst) example of this I've seen so far: The late '90s edition of the Olds Bravada (and I spoze all the mid-size GM mustache SUVs) had/has? a servo-driven THROTTLE! I rented one once for a few days--worst operating "new" car I've ever driven. No servo at a reasonable cost can be as quick as a foot pedal pulling on a cable--so the engine had a built-in delay in acceleration--so in traffic you're always hunting for the right throttle setting and never getting it right. You know that feeling that you just want to take a hammer to the stupid thing?

I wouldn't drive one of those if it was given to me.

Car companies are losing sight of the Prime Directive, which is that a car is fundamentally a MECHANICAL device operated by human (physical) beings in conditions that push the limits of hand-eye response. It has to have mechanical feedback for its vital operating systems, or there's endless trouble.

Electronics-based operation puts the non-EE user at the mercy of the maker/dealer/repair system--which is good for them but terrible for us.

I think the 240 cult has a long future ahead of it.

Doug Harvey






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