An invaluable tool!

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

pierre

Senior Member
Location
Westchester County, New York
When I first started working in this great industry of ours, I received most of, if not all of my information from fellow workers/books. Sometimes when asking questions, I was told "you don't need to know that". That used to irritate me something fierce.
Now that the internet is so pervasive, I rely on it alot. I still ask fellow workers questions, or they ask me, but the web has become an invaluable tool for info.
The knowledge, insight and download links that are provided by the members of these sites has helped me build a substantial library of resources.
I spend a lot of time on the different sites and find myself looking forward to the discussions. Not to mention, meeting some of the 'personalities' on these sites :D

How do you guys/gals feel about this?

[ November 21, 2004, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: pierre ]
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

I fell in love with this site a while back and have been involved ever since. I have learned a lot from the people who participate and I have put the electric utility viewpoint on a lot of discussions. When I have time, I spend way too much time here but I stay sharp on the code this way. Due to my profession, I do not use the NEC on a daily basis. However, I do get heavily involved with it during these discussions. Bottom line, this forum keeps me sharp. :D
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

Like Charlie said, I also spend to much time on this and other forums.

Pierre,
"you don't need to know that"
Click to expand...
I don't know how many times I heard that coming up as an apprentice, this is one reason I support education so much now.

What realy got me was when this mentality was implied when I was trying to learn theory or preparing for an exam.

I was lucky in that the superintendant on first job I was on and some of the others I worked with in my first few years were true teachers and were not worried about the student surpassing them as some of these others were, or more likely, simply didn't know themselves.

Now with all that said, things would have been so much easier if this forum with the knowledge provided by the members here were available back then.

I am continuously learning something here.
icon14.gif


I must say I feel many are friends here, even though we have never met face to face.

Roger
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

I think about the benefit of these forums frequently. Prior to the internet and electrical forums, we had continuing education(sometimes), and OJT and that worked well enough, but the learning curve has now been greatly enhanced with the advent of the PC and great sites like this.

Someone else goes out, bids the job, puts in all the time, materials and effort and is good enough to share the experience with us to our benefit.
It is truly "an invaluable tool."
Buck
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

I love this forum. :)

The input and feedback ranges from apprentice to those who participate in writing the NEC. One of the things I really appreciate is being able to get the perspective of some of the inspectors.

It's too bad there aren't some general contractors here, at least that I know of.
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

I have learned allot from the guy's here on this forum and had fun at it too. I try to keep an open mind when posting. And I like to have people to show me when I'm wrong about something as this is how I learn. I have had in the past where someone would just say "that's the way it's always been done" or like was said "you don't need to know just do it that way" without telling me why. But I'm the "why" kind of person that has to know why I'm doing it this way. Like I said before "without knowing the intent of a code, the words are meaningless". This is why I'll go overboard on some codes because the intent might not be clear.

Yes "I'm hooked" Charlie. Thank's ;)

[ November 21, 2004, 05:59 PM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

Hi I am Bob, and I am a code geek. :)

I can not begin to say enough good things about this and other Internet forums. I have learned a lot. :eek:

Bob
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

We are now saying in unison, "Hi Bob."
The more I know the less I know.
Click to expand...
This fits with my definition of an expert and the only way I can accept being called an expert. My definition is, "A person who realizes how much they don't know about a particular subject." When I first got involved with the Code, I knew all of the basics very fast and didn't really need to know much more. After a few years, I started to realize how much I didn't know. The older I get, the more I find that I don't know (that is where Tom's quote fits in). I now have a handle on how much I don't know . . . until . . . :D
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

Hello to all participants,

This forum is the best that I have ever had.

I am just a new member but I have learned alot from most of the discussions

This site is highly recommended to all code users
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

The Internet and web based forums have been a tremendous benefit. I am the only EE in my company and don't have someone to go to with the experience for guidance or clarification on a code question. The biggest benefit this and other forums have offered is the why, which for me makes it a learning experience rather than a conditioned reaction.

Tony
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

A great place to learn different options on the same subject. I've just discovered this site but intend to be with it for a long time.
 
Re: An invaluable tool!

Well, I won't go as far as to say I'm a "code geek" like Bob Badger (with his 3,881 posts) has admitted to but I will admit I'm addicted. I log on every morning after checking my e-mail to see if there's a topic that I'd like to jump in on. I mentioned this in a recent post, but it says a lot for this forum and web site when Mike Holt himself will take the time out of his busy schedule to help you with a question or problem that you have on a particular job. Subsequent to my interaction with Mike several years ago, he suggested that I join the forum and I've been active ever since. It's been a great place to (virtually) meet others and share opinions and as Pierre mentioned - a valuable tool.

Phil,
Gold Star Electric
New Jersey

[ November 23, 2004, 05:50 AM: Message edited by: goldstar ]
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top