Re: new coiling program

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "colin.heath4 by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <colin.heath4-at-ntlworld-dot-com>

hi
     ok i get the point with it put that way . there are many sights as you
say that will praise anything thanks for your comments and i take your
comments on board
many thanks
colin heath
----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 2:20 PM
Subject: Re: new coiling program


 > Original poster: "Paul Nicholson by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <paul-at-abelian.demon.co.uk>
 >
 > Colin Heath wrote:
 >
 >  > why is it every one who does something good on here or a
 >  > new idea gets shot down in flames
 >
 > Because this is a critical forum: criticism is essential for
 > progress, and is desired by those who wish to do research and
 > contribute reliable new stuff to the subject.  That's the lists'
 > number one asset.
 >
 > If you want credulous acceptance of anything that's posted,
 > there are plenty of crank lists.
 >
 > In this case, the program offered to the list is 10 or 20 times
 > larger than it need be, and that needs to be pointed out.  Would
 > you prefer us to pretend otherwise, just to be 'nice' to the
 > author?
 >
 > You must recognise that valid, incisive criticism, represents the
 > highest compliment that you can pay to someone.  It means you've
 > taken the trouble to look at what they're doing, and studied it
 > sufficient to criticise it.
 >
 > Dan McCauley wrote:
 >
 >  > Welcome to the real world of engineering.
 >
 > Dan understands.   I hand my colleagues at work a program that
 > I think is sound, and they destroy it.  Hmm, I fix it, the program
 > gets better. I learn.   Critical assessment of work is the basic
 > process in science and engineering that leads to reliable knowledge.
 >
 > As they say, if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.
 >
 > On the subject of coiling programs, etc:   Can I ask that authors
 > consider posting the source code as well as the binaries?  Few
 > seem to do so at the moment.  Having the source code means that we
 > can port a useful program to proper computers (ie not windoze),
 > we can inspect the code, see how it works, and criticise it more
 > effectively.  This is especially true of coil design programs.
 > Without source code, the program is a mysterious black box and we
 > can only guess what theoretical components went into it. Exposing
 > your source code is one of the best ways to improve your programs,
 > and it allows others to learn from what you've done.
 > --
 > Paul Nicholson
 > --
 >
 >