Comments for Charles J Gervasi http://cgervasi.com/blog Thoughts on Electronics and Technology Mon, 06 May 2013 20:16:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on “Open for Business” Is a Bad Tagline by Critics slam New York’s ‘Open For Business’ ad campaign as costly ‘fluff’ | Bright Orange Advertising http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-9537 Critics slam New York’s ‘Open For Business’ ad campaign as costly ‘fluff’ | Bright Orange Advertising Mon, 06 May 2013 20:16:17 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=59#comment-9537 [...] did West Virginia, until 2007, when it was withdrawn by popular [...] [...] did West Virginia, until 2007, when it was withdrawn by popular [...]

]]> Comment on CC430′s Core Is Powered By Built-In Switcher by Fuquay http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=120&cpage=1#comment-7017 Fuquay Mon, 21 Jan 2013 00:32:19 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=120#comment-7017 Interesting Charles... Interesting Charles…

]]> Comment on Will LEDs Encourage Adoption of Low-Voltage DC Lines/Fixtures? by Jim West http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=5&cpage=1#comment-4499 Jim West Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:41:12 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=5#comment-4499 Yes, solar, batteries and LEDs use DC. And, don't all electronic devices including computers, video, TV, audio, etc? What uses AC except transformers to step down voltages from main power lines? AC is unhealthy, with everyone literally living in antenna cages of AC+harmonics and non-linear transients. Let's move away from AC. Yes, solar, batteries and LEDs use DC. And, don’t all electronic devices including computers, video, TV, audio, etc? What uses AC except transformers to step down voltages from main power lines? AC is unhealthy, with everyone literally living in antenna cages of AC+harmonics and non-linear transients. Let’s move away from AC.

]]> Comment on A $1126 Mistake by Scope Junction - Michael Dunn - Scope Notes: Pythons on a Scope http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=130&cpage=1#comment-3518 Scope Junction - Michael Dunn - Scope Notes: Pythons on a Scope Thu, 11 Oct 2012 20:56:43 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=130#comment-3518 [...] go beyond what a Tek MDO can provide, the company's SPECMON might be the solution. Learn how not to ruin a $1,000 connector, courtesy of one of our own users, cgervasi. For an introduction to Python scripting for scope [...] [...] go beyond what a Tek MDO can provide, the company's SPECMON might be the solution. Learn how not to ruin a $1,000 connector, courtesy of one of our own users, cgervasi. For an introduction to Python scripting for scope [...]

]]> Comment on TI Switcher Module Touts “Higher Efficiency than a Linear” by Michael Dunn http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=73&cpage=1#comment-2524 Michael Dunn Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:05:36 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=73#comment-2524 TI seems to have a reputation for this kind of silliness. Like so many of their old databooks, where every few pages, the next part has "Dependable TI Quality & Reliability" in its bullet list, made extra funny by the fact that their parts were anything but at the time. TI seems to have a reputation for this kind of silliness. Like so many of their old databooks, where every few pages, the next part has “Dependable TI Quality & Reliability” in its bullet list, made extra funny by the fact that their parts were anything but at the time.

]]> Comment on Politically Motivated Attacks on STEM Workers by Mike http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=115&cpage=1#comment-2430 Mike Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:35:07 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=115#comment-2430 Do you not see the nuclear scientist as a soldier in a very dangerous cold war? The leader of Iran has sworn that his entire existance is to erradicate Israel from the world and this scientist played a pivotal role in building the weapons to allow him to do that. On a much smaller scale if a thug told me he would slaughter my family as soon as his gun was ready from the gun shop, the man running the gun shop was aware of this intent and continued to work on the gun because it was informative, lucrative or just plain cool. Yes, given the chance I would shoot the shop owner as a conspirator and to prevent the slaughter of my family. Is it a loss that the world has one less nuclear scientist? Yes. Is it unexpected that a people threatened would lash out? No. Do you not see the nuclear scientist as a soldier in a very dangerous cold war? The leader of Iran has sworn that his entire existance is to erradicate Israel from the world and this scientist played a pivotal role in building the weapons to allow him to do that. On a much smaller scale if a thug told me he would slaughter my family as soon as his gun was ready from the gun shop, the man running the gun shop was aware of this intent and continued to work on the gun because it was informative, lucrative or just plain cool. Yes, given the chance I would shoot the shop owner as a conspirator and to prevent the slaughter of my family.

Is it a loss that the world has one less nuclear scientist? Yes. Is it unexpected that a people threatened would lash out? No.

]]> Comment on Buy Your Own Tools by Mark Walter, P.E. http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=54&cpage=1#comment-638 Mark Walter, P.E. Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:35:29 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=54#comment-638 I've been a practicing engineer for 30 years now. Ever since my first job I started gather tools of my trade and taking them with me. It seems I am in the minority as I don't see the other engineers I work with doing this. To me having my own tools makes perfect sense. Most of the tools are common everyday items, something that should be available at any decent engineering lab. Yet by having my own tools I don't have to spend time looking for what I want: I know what tools I carry and exactly where they are. Sure comes in handy when I work after hours and the technicians are not around to ask where they keep their wire strippers. In addition I modified or made small hand tools for specialized purposes. It always feels good to bring out a particular tool I've built and use it to solve a problem. In addition to hand tools I also include software tool in my bag of tricks. There are many specialized and often inexpensive software tools that can be found to make my life easier, be it a text editor, plotting program or just a simple Excel spreadsheet template set up to manipulate data in some particular manner. Mark Walter I’ve been a practicing engineer for 30 years now. Ever since my first job I started gather tools of my trade and taking them with me. It seems I am in the minority as I don’t see the other engineers I work with doing this.

To me having my own tools makes perfect sense. Most of the tools are common everyday items, something that should be available at any decent engineering lab. Yet by having my own tools I don’t have to spend time looking for what I want: I know what tools I carry and exactly where they are. Sure comes in handy when I work after hours and the technicians are not around to ask where they keep their wire strippers.

In addition I modified or made small hand tools for specialized purposes. It always feels good to bring out a particular tool I’ve built and use it to solve a problem.

In addition to hand tools I also include software tool in my bag of tricks. There are many specialized and often inexpensive software tools that can be found to make my life easier, be it a text editor, plotting program or just a simple Excel spreadsheet template set up to manipulate data in some particular manner.

Mark Walter

]]> Comment on TI Switcher Module Touts “Higher Efficiency than a Linear” by CJ http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=73&cpage=1#comment-570 CJ Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:13:54 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=73#comment-570 Yes, exactly. It's kind of absurd. This switcher has higher efficiency than a linear regulator. I can't imagine someone using a switcher in some application where Vin is close to Vout and a linear provides almost as good efficiency as a switcher. Yes, exactly. It’s kind of absurd. This switcher has higher efficiency than a linear regulator. I can’t imagine someone using a switcher in some application where Vin is close to Vout and a linear provides almost as good efficiency as a switcher.

]]> Comment on TI Switcher Module Touts “Higher Efficiency than a Linear” by Richard Percifield http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=73&cpage=1#comment-569 Richard Percifield Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:45:38 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=73#comment-569 You know what this really about? This info is for the salesperson. It allows him or her to give it to the purchasing department and give them a feature to sell. You know what this really about? This info is for the salesperson. It allows him or her to give it to the purchasing department and give them a feature to sell.

]]> Comment on Will Information Technology and Automation Result in a Long-Term Shortage of Jobs? by Cherish http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-202 Cherish Fri, 18 Mar 2011 03:44:50 +0000 http://cgervasi.com/blog/?p=56#comment-202 The down side to this is the expectation that a select number of people will still continue to work 40 hour weeks while the rest will be unemployed. The advent of technology hasn't reduced the working time for all of us: it has stayed the same for some of us, while the rest become under or unemployed. Ironically, those who are working have had huge losses in free-time as industrialization and technology have progressed. This has a pretty negative implication for economic policy...and it's going to continue to get worse. The down side to this is the expectation that a select number of people will still continue to work 40 hour weeks while the rest will be unemployed. The advent of technology hasn’t reduced the working time for all of us: it has stayed the same for some of us, while the rest become under or unemployed. Ironically, those who are working have had huge losses in free-time as industrialization and technology have progressed. This has a pretty negative implication for economic policy…and it’s going to continue to get worse.

]]>