I am a mechanical engineer who has been lurking on this list for a few weeks.
The comments that Howard (?) forwarded really surprised me. It appears that
the author is indulging in a little egotistical masturbation of his own. I
hope that he doesn't hurt himself in doing this a little too vigorously. A
few of my thoughts:
Nothing is obsolete that the world wants not to be obsolete. As long as
people are interested in habitat, architecture will be alive. "Function",
however it is defined, is a part of this interest and of architecture.
The world _is_ becoming more mechanized. Efficient? This is arguable. In
my opinion, any engineer whose only motivations are increased mechanization
and efficiency is short-sighted.
The world around you or me or anybody isn't "The World of the Engineer", its
just "the world". This attitude annoys me. I am not sure of the writer's
intent, and perhaps I am taking him (or her?) a little too seriously, but
engineers look a great deal more professional when we recognize that we're
in business to help the world live with technology than when we declare
that we're going to bludgeon everyone into submission with it.
John Stratton, P.Eng.
(stepping quietly off of his soapbox)
The comments that Howard (?) forwarded really surprised me. It appears that
the author is indulging in a little egotistical masturbation of his own. I
hope that he doesn't hurt himself in doing this a little too vigorously. A
few of my thoughts:
Nothing is obsolete that the world wants not to be obsolete. As long as
people are interested in habitat, architecture will be alive. "Function",
however it is defined, is a part of this interest and of architecture.
The world _is_ becoming more mechanized. Efficient? This is arguable. In
my opinion, any engineer whose only motivations are increased mechanization
and efficiency is short-sighted.
The world around you or me or anybody isn't "The World of the Engineer", its
just "the world". This attitude annoys me. I am not sure of the writer's
intent, and perhaps I am taking him (or her?) a little too seriously, but
engineers look a great deal more professional when we recognize that we're
in business to help the world live with technology than when we declare
that we're going to bludgeon everyone into submission with it.
John Stratton, P.Eng.
(stepping quietly off of his soapbox)