• Hugin@lemmy.world
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    19 days ago

    The secret to good engineering is to know when 1+1 should be 3 and when it should be 1.

    • booly@sh.itjust.works
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      19 days ago

      Sometimes 1+1 is 2, like when you’re counting stuff.

      Sometimes 1+1 is 1, like when you just need a Boolean indicator of whether something is true. Pressing the elevator button multiple times should behave the same way as pressing the elevator button once. Planning out a delivery route requires a stop at every place with at least one item to be delivered, but the route itself doesn’t change when a second or third item is added to that stop.

      Sometimes 1+1 is 0, like when dealing with certain types of rotations, toggle switches, etc. Doing a 180° rotation twice is the same as doing it zero times. Same with doing a reflection transformation twice.

      A good engineer understands the scope of what they’re doing, and its limits.

      • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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        19 days ago

        “A good engineer understands the scope of what they’re doing, and its limits.”

        Tell that to Factorio, Satisfactory, and Dyson Sphere Program players.

        Also, Relevant Username?

        • djsoren19@yiffit.net
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          19 days ago

          Hey, we still follow this principle. It’s just that the scope is “an entire planet” and the only limiter is my prescription of Ritalin.

          • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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            19 days ago

            Adderall here. Ritalin turned me into a zombie.

            Also you aren’t playing DSP correctly until you’ve constructed 640 dyson shells at least once on a single game map

        • booly@sh.itjust.works
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          19 days ago

          Also, Relevant Username?

          Probably. I don’t even know how I came up with this, but I do love me some logic.

  • TʜᴇʀᴀᴘʏGⒶʀʏ⁽ᵗʰᵉʸ‘ᵗʰᵉᵐ⁾@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    20 days ago

    For anyone else who needs a lil explaining to fully enjoy this:

    Explanation of the Meme

    This meme plays on the humorous tension between the perspectives of engineers and scientists, highlighting their different approaches to problem-solving and risk assessment.

    Breakdown of the Dialogue

    • Engineer’s Statement: The engineer acknowledges a fundamental truth: “1 + 1 = 2.” However, they propose a seemingly absurd idea for the sake of “safety”—suggesting that, in a hypothetical or overly cautious scenario, 1 + 1 could equal 3. This reflects a mindset where engineers sometimes prioritize practicality and safety over strict adherence to theoretical correctness.

    • Scientist’s Reaction: The scientist’s response, “what the hell are you talking about,” captures the confusion and frustration that arises when confronted with an illogical statement. Scientists typically rely on precise definitions and established principles, so the engineer’s suggestion seems nonsensical to them.

    Engineer’s Thought Process

    1. Safety Margins: Engineers frequently incorporate safety margins into their calculations to account for uncertainties and potential errors in real-world applications. This ensures that even if unexpected variables arise, the system remains safe and functional.

    2. Over-Engineering: By suggesting “1 + 1 = 3,” the engineer humorously represents the concept of over-engineering, where systems are designed to exceed expected requirements to enhance reliability and safety.

    3. Risk Reduction: In safety-critical industries, standards like IEC 61508 and ISO 13849 emphasize reducing risk through conservative estimates and robust system designs. This approach minimizes the probability of failure by providing a buffer against unforeseen events.

    4. Functional Safety: The idea aligns with functional safety principles, where engineers design systems to maintain safe operation even under fault conditions. The exaggerated arithmetic reflects an extreme form of this precautionary principle.

    Themes and Humor

    • Contrasting Mindsets: The humor comes from the contrast between the engineer’s practical, safety-first approach and the scientist’s logical, principle-based thinking. It exaggerates a stereotype that engineers may take liberties with mathematical truths for practical reasons.

    • Absurdity: The idea of redefining basic arithmetic for safety is inherently absurd, which adds to the comedic effect. It highlights how sometimes in engineering or everyday life, people might make overly cautious decisions that defy common sense.

  • stupidcasey@lemmy.world
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    19 days ago

    Let’s say 1+1=3.

    Sir, I don’t think that’s right.

    Let’s just say it is for safety.

    But sir I don’t think you understand.

    Just do it.

    Alright boys you heard him, the bridge can hold 30,000 Lbs.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        19 days ago

        That’s what we did. We stressed it more and dropped its tolerances. We saved a lot of money but the mayor looks really mad.

        • Empricorn@feddit.nl
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          19 days ago

          That’s just because his car is sliding off the bridge into the water… Maybe he’ll cheer up after a nice swim?

  • neonred@lemmy.world
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    19 days ago

    Scientists being theorists and not based in reality after all.

    Engineers knowing it is necessary to ensure safety because “+” could mean something else in just this situation noone (especially scietists) thought about.

      • InputZero@lemmy.world
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        19 days ago

        So this maybe kills the joke, which made me laugh. In my personal experience, most engineers are part scientists, and scientists who study engineering are part engineers. I can say that at least a small handful of the scientists I’ve met who study engineering may not really understand why engineers use a specific safety margin for a specific purpose, they understand practically that it’s because no one wants to come close to a things tolerance. Especially when public safety is concerned.

        It’s a joke though. It’s hyperbole, and I thought it was funny.

      • bluewing@lemm.ee
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        19 days ago

        If they did, they wouldn’t need engineers.

        But it’s more of a division of labor I think.

        It is the job of the scientist to discover a new idea. It is the job of an engineer to kill enough people to make the idea just safe enough to turn loose on the public.

        Remember kiddies, scientific principles are written in ink. Engineering principles are very often written in blood.

    • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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      16 days ago

      I feel like the engineers set π = 3 meme is from like 50 years ago where you couldn’t just punch π into your calculator