• massive_bereavement@fedia.io
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    52
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    4 months ago

    In the same vein: Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in the mud.

    After a while you realize the pig likes it.

    • bleistift2@sopuli.xyz
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      33
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      After a while you realize the pig likes it.

      That’s what makes them an engineer: Piling argument upon counterargument to understand the topic, the arguments, their shortcomings and another person’s understanding of the topic vs arguing to be right.

    • explodicle@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      20
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      4 months ago

      I love engineering because there’s objective right and wrong. Either the machine will work or it won’t; you can’t bullshit physical reality.

      • jaybone@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        15
        ·
        4 months ago

        Yeah but one guy wants to build it one way and another guy wants to build it a different way.

        I constantly find myself looking at other people’s code and saying “Well, that’s not how I would have done it, but …” sigh.

      • rambling_lunatic@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        4 months ago

        Ah, but a machine can work better or worse, and what is better or worse is often subjective, as there are various aspects of the workings of the machine regarding which you have to make trade-offs during the process of design. A notable example is the design of tanks: the bigger the cannon, the greater the weight, and the slower it gets as a result. You can try to get a better engine to compensate for the increased weight but a stronger engine and bigger guns lead to higher costs and complicate mass production.

      • spittingimage@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        4 months ago

        Whenever I’m in a plane about to take off or land I think about how the thing is lifted by differential air pressure and I’m pretty sure we are bullshitting physical reality - and it’ll figure that out any second now.