Re: Computing Editorial (please read)

[mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon)]

Paul Schlyter wrote:

>In article <3E3C4945.3DDF@earthlink.net>,
>Lee Hart  <leeahart@earthlink.net> wrote:
> 
<snip>
>> Except, the students I've met AREN'T learning how modern electronics
>> work! We've had college students interns at work. They've never touched
>> real parts in any of their college courses; it's all done with
>> simulations. They can't find pin 1 on an IC. They can't solder. They
>> don't even know that resistors get hot! (though they can derive it from
>> first principles).
> 
>Nice education system you got there.... :-)
> 
>When I studied physics at college, some practical exercises were
>included: in the electronics course we had an examination where we
>were given some components and instructions how to connect them, and
>then the examinator went around and checked if we'd done it right.
>Another exercise was to build a simple candleholder in brass....

If engineering and science students in your part of the world are
not ignorant of the practicalities of electronics and mechanics,
you are furtunate.

This malady is quite common among new engineers and scientists
in the U.S., and training them in "reality" is the main content of on-
the-job training during their first year.

Although I was an experimentalist from the second grade, and
had actual experience in many areas by the time I entered
college, I discovered that many of my engineering school
friends didn't think about thermal effects in design at all.  ;-(

The first institution that I attended that "did it right" was Caltech,
where every experimental physics student had to complete a
practical course in machine shop.  (I will never forget learning
how to drill a 1/64" hole through a 1" long #2 brass screw--
lengthwise!  [These were a basic component in feed-thrus
to get sensor wires out of a vacuum chamber.])  The plan
was that any experimental physicist should be able to repair
his broken experimental apparatus at 3:00 in the morning, so
as not to miss a scarce opportunity to collect data.

-michael

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