Yep, it's probably because they would rather many people didn't learn how to make use of our own circuits so that we buy theirs instead, it's a monopoly on information to protect their stake.

I had a rather forthright electronics (college) teacher, who i didn't always agree with but i had alot of respect for him. And he believed that the establishment would rather keep us in the dark with technology and make sure that the subject stays as dull and boring as possible to the younger generation so we stay hooked on big businesses tech and mobile phones.

I remember when i was in secondary school i asked my teacher what a resistor is made of and how they make them only to be told i was just asking a nuisance question and that it was irrelevant. I failed to see how that attitude was supposed to encourage me to learn.

Michael W

Edited By Michael Walters on 24/06/2016 10:20:14

Can't blame the establishment for ALL the ills of the time. Sounds like both "Teachers" had a lack of the skills to inspire. Thankfully my early education, 10 onwards, consisted in getting knuckles rapped by not getting fingers out of the way faster than the spinning wooden prop, or getting a crack from the plug lead of a Vespa scooter basket case Daddy was rebuilding and things that involved much more that pressing buttons or having the difficulty of deciding where to put a cross in a box given that three out of the four possible answers were ludicrous.

Regards Ian.

Surely it depends what working on or who for.

Generally if work for a company help and advice should be given out freely to help work mates.

On the other hand if a world leader not many about these days you want to keep to yourself. Worlds full of copiers stealing info etc who have no inclination or intelligence to work things out.

I eMailed the manufacturer for circuit schematics for the speed controller on my lathe and they were good enough to supply the PDF's by return mail. No issue, except working out which of the several similar schematics matched my board!

Having trained as an aircraft tech in the RAF longer ago than I care to remember, information tech and otherwise was always freely given it was always thought if everyone knows how to do it it makes it easier for everyone. A shock then on leaving and going to work for an old railway company (BR I think it was called) when knowledge was most definitely perceived power amongst some it was one way the old RSI kept his position it was only later with the advent of BS 5750 ( does that date it) that drawings etc became freely available suddenly everyone could mend a locomotive!

Not that long ago Mike I was a registered auditor when it first started had to do a course in Coventry.

Just a job for the jobsworths you can write anything in or as little as you want. Don't write it in, don't have to do it, simple and easy to fool the BS geeza.
Used to drive me round the bend every time did a purchase order had to write in the full spec for each part or material bought. One plate and 1000 tonne of steel would be two specs written down twice, some days 20 odd times couldn't stamp had to have carbon copy. BS 20 odd years on its I can only remember first 18 numerals of the material specs.

At one point I was told that I had to do a risk assessment for every piece of equipment in the machine shop. The entire workshop was a restricted area because we worked on military stuff. Outsiders simply could not get in. All of the machines were run by highly skilled (honest!) guys. As, at that time the risk assessment form seemed to be designed to prevent "outsiders" from becoming endangered and/or injured by inappropriate use of a stapler, I was able to write all of the risk assessments, for about 20 odd machines in about an hour.

No doubt the bureaucrats have now closed that particular loophole, and every machine requires 42 pages of bumph.

Yet, the "interior designer" engaged to devise an appropriate colour scheme for the Planning Office, picked a vile bilious, headache inducing colour for a feature wall. Despite everyone complaining about it she was the expert (secret knowledge!) and it couldn't be changed. So we covered it up with drawings and photographs, floor to ceiling wall to wall, she wasn't impressed, poor little thing.

cheers

Bill

Sometimes secrets are really necessary in engineering workshops. It can be quite a simple idea that keeps a company in business. But in most cases if you really think about it, it becomes obvious. But not all are though. I don't mind passing on the knowledge of skills to do tasks, ie hard turning parts, or fitting tapers on injection moulding tools. If you do know the secrets, often it pays to keep them, especially when it maintains a friendship with the company or customer. Sales reps have to keep secrets or they will not be allowed on site to sell their products.

Neil

Totally agree Neil I have spent severe time over the years doing R&D and don't expect to see someone just walse straight in and copy which in effect is stealing. Have not only stay one step ahead not two but three steps, theyre now copying stuff from 1992.
Worlds full of companies of this nature with stature my bank balance better than yours. try stopping me.

I deal globally and have done for over two decades, most other countries just cant see any wrong in copying, more so the places that cnc stuff out, my take they haven't the intellectual properties required and no idea of intended use of end product behind a desk.

Biggest secret in my workshop is where the chuck key goes every time I turn around.

At one place where I worked, "Fred" was deemed to be the "expert" on one job. He was not a secretive type, rather, he was always helpful. So in my youthful enthusiasm I got involved with helping him. His explanation of what he was doing was not at all convincing. In a word he was winging it, but eventually came up with an acceptable result. His being the "expert" was just a title to allow him to do the job, which every no one else wanted to get involved with.

So secrecy might be just a cover for people who don't really understand what is going on. As in "I can't tell you that" (because I don't know).

Frank

Used to annoy me the people that always had a messy desk no idea where anything is so others see them as busy. One thing BS5750 didn't change, upon vetting its awaiting to be filed.

I used to be famous for my messy desk but always amazed people when I could find anything in an instant. My workshop has now got too many things for my failing memory to keep track of so a logical system is going to be implemented to save me remembering where things are. This is going to be hard as being a messy worker for the last 50 years is going to be difficult to change.

Mike

When challenged I used to say that "a tidy desk is the sign of a weak mind". For some reason I wasn't universally popular at work.

Dave

....... or maybe a tidy desk is a sign of having too little to do !

( I think the same applies to the workshop)

Norman

I once worked for a company where everyone had an empty desk. My boss asked me why my desk was so cluttered when everyone else had a tidy desk. I told him it was obvious that no one else did any work.

Dave

Albert Einstein

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?”

My view is that hot-desking caused the last recession

Neil

Many a true word spoken in jest! Or perhaps Neil isn't joking. Hot desking is hell for people who think for a living,

Dave

And in order to think clearly, one must empty the mind.

On another favourite of messy desk geniuses, psychologists have now proved that "multi-tasking" so beloved of Gen Y etc is total cobblers and lo and behold, one gets more done by doing one thing at a time.