Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[capt bullshot]

got the go for a new company notebook (TP P15, 64GB and an RTX5000 (WTF, I did not ask for THAT much ...)

A new company notebook. That would be a running gag for some of my colleagues at work, there's a few of them that still have to deal with 10yr old Dells. Each time they ask for a new one, the response is "We do some changes, can that wait until the changes are done" or "We can give you some intermediate one, most probably it won't be better than yours now", ...
At least the notebook that I snagged about one year ago from a student that left the company has an SSD, otherwise it's as old as my colleagues ones. Just enough to connect to the company VPN after waiting several minutes to boot up, and then forward the RDP to my own Linux notebook.
Anyway, there are other persons in the company that have way lesser issues to get modern IT hardware ...

[DC1MC]

got the go for a new company notebook (TP P15, 64GB and an RTX5000 (WTF, I did not ask for THAT much ...)

...
Anyway, there are other persons in the company that have way lesser issues to get modern IT hardware ...

The sales and marketing droids must always have the latest gear, they are the company image, not the back-room engineers  !!!

[mansaxel]

got the go for a new company notebook (TP P15, 64GB and an RTX5000 (WTF, I did not ask for THAT much ...)

A new company notebook. That would be a running gag for some of my colleagues at work, there's a few of them that still have to deal with 10yr old Dells. Each time they ask for a new one, the response is "We do some changes, can that wait until the changes are done" or "We can give you some intermediate one, most probably it won't be better than yours now", ...
At least the notebook that I snagged about one year ago from a student that left the company has an SSD, otherwise it's as old as my colleagues ones. Just enough to connect to the company VPN after waiting several minutes to boot up, and then forward the RDP to my own Linux notebook.
Anyway, there are other persons in the company that have way lesser issues to get modern IT hardware ...

I've always (except in the military, of course...) been issued with a brand-new well-specced laptop. Present work computer is a 2018 15" MBP. Yes, the sucky keyboard one. But speed is not an issue. And half a TB SSD is enough.

/on macs since 2003, before that it was Thinkpads.

[Specmaster]

DRL's are required in Canada but I'm not aware of any state in the U.S. that requires them. New York, for example, does not. The CR-V has DRL's as standard equipment but I disabled them simply by pulling a fuse. It saves changing burnt out bulbs every other year.

<snip>

It sounds like the EU is becoming a nanny state and I thought it was bad here. 

Daytime running lights are a definite benefit to safety. I would never turn mine off. We've had that rule since the late 70s. And just before the auto industry made LEDs useful and approved, they lobbied for DRL's to be disabled to save fuel. The compromise was that rear lights could be disabled, to save, what, 20W. Which means that a lot of newer cars run around without rear lights. When the norm is that "cars are illuminated" that is an annoyance and a safety risk. Especially since "turning the lights on" is manual on those vehicles now. So people drive in dusk with lights off. 

The nanny state saves lives. All-round lights on cars at all times are a benefit, and with LEDs, who cares?. So, there.

Totally agree with you but query the point turning on all lights is manual, not on my car, I leave my lights switch in the "Auto" position and when the light gets too poor for good visibility, the system turns on my side and headlamps and will also switch them off if the light improves. With the switch in the auto setting, it also means that my headlights will automatically adjust their light beam pattern between city, urban and motorway driving as well as follows the wheels, so if there is a bend in the road, they will swivel and light the road round the bend, another safety feature that I love.   

[Robert763]

@mnementh I also looked at one of these calculator kits last year and decided against it, however I may just review that decision to break the boredom up.

Well... that was satisfying, but not nearly long enuf. All the actual "make"-ery is done... now it's just assembly. I might mod it with a an old camera Li-Ion cell tho; it appears to have a backlit LCD & I don't imagine CR2032s will last long.

Still... def worth the pittance they charge to occupy a afternoon. 

mnem

Yeh, it does make you wonder as to why they didn't include a power socket and make the batteries rechargeable, shouldn't add all that much to the kits cost?

Seeing it all sitting there now, kinda makes me wish I had one to build to... I may have to pull the trigger on one myself soon 

Don't for get its pretty useless as a calculator only 5 digits and no error trapping if you go over IIRc

[mansaxel]

While there's no DIY involved, (except as to oil the Facit, which is sorely needed) these devices can count for real. Backwards and forwards.

[capt bullshot]

got the go for a new company notebook (TP P15, 64GB and an RTX5000 (WTF, I did not ask for THAT much ...)

...
Anyway, there are other persons in the company that have way lesser issues to get modern IT hardware ...

The sales and marketing droids must always have the latest gear, they are the company image, not the back-room engineers  !!!

Maybe, I don't know what they've got. It's more a department specific thing, I've seen more recent desktops / laptops in most other departments than engineering. WTF?

[AVGresponding]

follows the wheels, so if there is a bend in the road, they will swivel and light the road round the bend, another safety feature that I love.

I hate it, it makes it more likely for you to dazzle oncoming traffic when you're turning across their lane. Not really a "safety feature" at that point.
Added to the fact that modern LED headlamps have completely the wrong colour temperature and lumen output, makes it much more dangerous. Of course, more crashes due to dazzled oncoming traffic means more parts/new car sales, so the manufacturers have a vested interest in fitting "safety features" that aren't.

All the electronic assistance in modern cars means in my experience that drivers become increasingly lazy and incompetent. I can set off from a hill without assistance thankyou, I can park, brake, accelerate, corner, operate lights and wipers, all using my own ability.
What it also means in practice is that modern cars are so capable that they are way above the skill level of any ordinary user, and in consequence the failure point, in terms of losing control, is so much higher than in an older car, it makes them far more dangerous, given how the human brain works to evaluate risk/reward equations.

[Specmaster]

follows the wheels, so if there is a bend in the road, they will swivel and light the road round the bend, another safety feature that I love.

I hate it, it makes it more likely for you to dazzle oncoming traffic when you're turning across their lane. Not really a "safety feature" at that point.
Added to the fact that modern LED headlamps have completely the wrong colour temperature and lumen output, makes it much more dangerous. Of course, more crashes due to dazzled oncoming traffic means more parts/new car sales, so the manufacturers have a vested interest in fitting "safety features" that aren't.

All the electronic assistance in modern cars means in my experience that drivers become increasingly lazy and incompetent. I can set off from a hill without assistance thankyou, I can park, brake, accelerate, corner, operate lights and wipers, all using my own ability.
What it also means in practice is that modern cars are so capable that they are way above the skill level of any ordinary user, and in consequence the failure point, in terms of losing control, is so much higher than in an older car, it makes them far more dangerous, given how the human brain works to evaluate risk/reward equations.

The headlights are Xenon not LED and they only swivel a few degrees, not enough to dazzle or blind on coming traffic as can be seen in this video that clearly shows the benefit of such lights. What this video does not show you is the city mode where they provide a very wide, low flat beam on the drivers side and a longer range beam on the passenger side. The car set up has a menu option for reversing the pattern if your driving overseas on the other side of the road for example.



My car also all round parking sensors and also parking assist which can detect if your car will fit into a space or not and will steer the car for  you, all you have to is go forward/reverse as instructed and stop. It can do this for roadside parking or end on parking in car parks etc. I have only ever used this feature once when I first got the car to test it out. As a person who has driven both buses and lorries, I'm more than capable of parking a considerably smaller and shorter car on my own, but there are people who would clearly benefit from this feature.

The car also has adaptive mirrors, that when reversing, the passenger mirror moves to show the kerb by the rear wheel and rear corner to assist in getting closer to the kerb. All the mirrors at nighttime will automatically progressively become tinted to prevent being blinded by the headlights of cars behind you.

None of these features can be considered as dangerous, what about radar equipped cruise control to maintain a safe distance from the car in front?, lane keeping assist?, blind spot monitoring and autonomous braking to lessen the impact of a crash that the driver had not seen looming, perhaps due to driver fatigue etc, do you not approve of these? Good luck if you do get that TT because some of these items might well be standard on it.

[bd139]

follows the wheels, so if there is a bend in the road, they will swivel and light the road round the bend, another safety feature that I love.

I hate it, it makes it more likely for you to dazzle oncoming traffic when you're turning across their lane. Not really a "safety feature" at that point.
Added to the fact that modern LED headlamps have completely the wrong colour temperature and lumen output, makes it much more dangerous. Of course, more crashes due to dazzled oncoming traffic means more parts/new car sales, so the manufacturers have a vested interest in fitting "safety features" that aren't.

All the electronic assistance in modern cars means in my experience that drivers become increasingly lazy and incompetent. I can set off from a hill without assistance thankyou, I can park, brake, accelerate, corner, operate lights and wipers, all using my own ability.
What it also means in practice is that modern cars are so capable that they are way above the skill level of any ordinary user, and in consequence the failure point, in terms of losing control, is so much higher than in an older car, it makes them far more dangerous, given how the human brain works to evaluate risk/reward equations.

On that note I think I’ve decided to buy a series 3 Land Rover again 

[beanflying]

follows the wheels, so if there is a bend in the road, they will swivel and light the road round the bend, another safety feature that I love.

I hate it, it makes it more likely for you to dazzle oncoming traffic when you're turning across their lane. Not really a "safety feature" at that point.
Added to the fact that modern LED headlamps have completely the wrong colour temperature and lumen output, makes it much more dangerous. Of course, more crashes due to dazzled oncoming traffic means more parts/new car sales, so the manufacturers have a vested interest in fitting "safety features" that aren't.

All the electronic assistance in modern cars means in my experience that drivers become increasingly lazy and incompetent. I can set off from a hill without assistance thankyou, I can park, brake, accelerate, corner, operate lights and wipers, all using my own ability.
What it also means in practice is that modern cars are so capable that they are way above the skill level of any ordinary user, and in consequence the failure point, in terms of losing control, is so much higher than in an older car, it makes them far more dangerous, given how the human brain works to evaluate risk/reward equations.

On that note I think I’ve decided to buy a series 3 Land Rover again 

Do it @bd I will enjoy yours vicariously. To old for that sh1t 

[Robert763]

I also like the EU rear fog light; one of the rear tail-lights goes extra-bright for extra visibility.  The other rear lights are normal brightness to be able to discern brakes and signals.  We do not have that here.

That fog light is one thing that I detest!

I acknowledge their usefulness in the case of fog - but when the weather is clear, they are distracting at any time and can be blinding at night.

If I had my way, people who run with them on when the weather is clear and fine should be keelhauled.


/rant

That was only an issue back when it was possible to leave the fog light turned on for days if you forgot it. Current regulations (which have been around a while now) require the system to turn the foglight off when the car is turned off and it needs to be manually turned on again when the car is restarted.

McBryce.

It's still an issue due to ignorant inconsiderate twats deliberately driving with them on (mostly fronts granted), and incompetent twots switching them on at the first hint of mist.

I particuarly hate people who use them in the rain.
One issue I've noticed is idiots in premium models driving in daytime fog with no headlights I assume that they have forgotten how to turn the switch out of Auto.

[Robert763]

I was thinking about £100 for the dead K2001 

[Robert763]

follows the wheels, so if there is a bend in the road, they will swivel and light the road round the bend, another safety feature that I love.

I hate it, it makes it more likely for you to dazzle oncoming traffic when you're turning across their lane. Not really a "safety feature" at that point.
Added to the fact that modern LED headlamps have completely the wrong colour temperature and lumen output, makes it much more dangerous. Of course, more crashes due to dazzled oncoming traffic means more parts/new car sales, so the manufacturers have a vested interest in fitting "safety features" that aren't.

All the electronic assistance in modern cars means in my experience that drivers become increasingly lazy and incompetent. I can set off from a hill without assistance thankyou, I can park, brake, accelerate, corner, operate lights and wipers, all using my own ability.
What it also means in practice is that modern cars are so capable that they are way above the skill level of any ordinary user, and in consequence the failure point, in terms of losing control, is so much higher than in an older car, it makes them far more dangerous, given how the human brain works to evaluate risk/reward equations.

On that note I think I’ve decided to buy a series 3 Land Rover again 

I'd seriously considered buying one recently (had 4 series LR & 2 classic RR previously) . My big problem is nowhere to do maintenence on it.  If you want one, buy it soon the prices are going way up.

[beanflying]

That Series 3 of mine above was fully rewired to remove the then exposed melted copper wire and I added a few more than the 'stock' three fuses  , Holden 186 Straight 6 motor, High Speed final drive gears as the fairy O/Drive blew up. Sometime later my 6'2" frame decided the ride and cramped seating just sucked sometime around my hitting my mid 40's.

Still great fun and some epic trips over the years. 

[bd139]

It’s not a Land Rover until you smoke a loom.

As for the pain of mid to late 40s I sympathise 

[Specmaster]

It’s not a Land Rover until you smoke a loom.

As for the pain of mid to late 40s I sympathise 

Well if you must smoke a loom then a landie is the car to do it in because there is bugger all to sustain fire in one of them, personally I'd still rather not, the smell of burnt cables is rather nauseating if I'm honest   

[Robert763]

There is a TV program over here about opal miners. One of them has an old S2 LR, A recent episode had him driving it at speed through floods how he didn't go down an abandoned mine shaft I've no idea.

[med6753]

follows the wheels, so if there is a bend in the road, they will swivel and light the road round the bend, another safety feature that I love.

I hate it, it makes it more likely for you to dazzle oncoming traffic when you're turning across their lane. Not really a "safety feature" at that point.
Added to the fact that modern LED headlamps have completely the wrong colour temperature and lumen output, makes it much more dangerous. Of course, more crashes due to dazzled oncoming traffic means more parts/new car sales, so the manufacturers have a vested interest in fitting "safety features" that aren't.

All the electronic assistance in modern cars means in my experience that drivers become increasingly lazy and incompetent. I can set off from a hill without assistance thankyou, I can park, brake, accelerate, corner, operate lights and wipers, all using my own ability.
What it also means in practice is that modern cars are so capable that they are way above the skill level of any ordinary user, and in consequence the failure point, in terms of losing control, is so much higher than in an older car, it makes them far more dangerous, given how the human brain works to evaluate risk/reward equations.

On that note I think I’ve decided to buy a series 3 Land Rover again 

That's why I'm keeping the Civic until one of two things happen. I die or it dies.

No traction control, no ABS, no bullshit lazy ass features. Just me and the machine.....and I'm in full control.

[beanflying]

It’s not a Land Rover until you smoke a loom.

As for the pain of mid to late 40s I sympathise 

Well if you must smoke a loom then a landie is the car to do it in because there is bugger all to sustain fire in one of them, personally I'd still rather not, the smell of burnt cables is rather nauseating if I'm honest   

No Relays so everything was switched via the dash. Damm Pommie Engineers  Most of the melt was in the headlight loom.

[tggzzz]

I'd seriously considered buying one recently (had 4 series LR & 2 classic RR previously) . My big problem is nowhere to do maintenence on it.

I think you are missing the point about Land Rovers: you repair them where they fail.

My experience with a S2 with a Perkins Diesel (and many bits from Minis) included:

• roadside, after wheel departed when overtaking (no damage done, other than losing a small amount of metal on the brake drum's lip
• car park, after fuel tank partly fell off (yes, I had a bolt)
• campsite, after engine mounting broke (yes, I had a spare)
• street outside my house, for most things

And BD is wrong... it is only a LR after you have made the replacement loom.

[tggzzz]

It’s not a Land Rover until you smoke a loom.

As for the pain of mid to late 40s I sympathise 

Well if you must smoke a loom then a landie is the car to do it in because there is bugger all to sustain fire in one of them, personally I'd still rather not, the smell of burnt cables is rather nauseating if I'm honest   

Drive fast - there is plenty of ventilation to remove the smell

And if it is a diesel at the top of a hill, you don't really need the electrics anyway

[med6753]

It’s not a Land Rover until you smoke a loom.

As for the pain of mid to late 40s I sympathise 

Well if you must smoke a loom then a landie is the car to do it in because there is bugger all to sustain fire in one of them, personally I'd still rather not, the smell of burnt cables is rather nauseating if I'm honest   

No Relays so everything was switched via the dash. Damm Pommie Engineers  Most of the melt was in the headlight loom.

Lucas and Land Rover is a marriage made in hell. 

[tggzzz]

It’s not a Land Rover until you smoke a loom.

As for the pain of mid to late 40s I sympathise 

Well if you must smoke a loom then a landie is the car to do it in because there is bugger all to sustain fire in one of them, personally I'd still rather not, the smell of burnt cables is rather nauseating if I'm honest   

No Relays so everything was switched via the dash. Damm Pommie Engineers  Most of the melt was in the headlight loom.

Probably because a blacksmith could have a good shot at repairing a loom, but not at repairing relays.

[beanflying]

I have a memory of it being three 30A fuses making the loom the fusible link..... Several times much to the embarrassment of their owners I pulled some 'fancy' bogged 4wd's out as the Landy floated over the muck.