[sdiy] was : Anybody French, know this guy?

[jbv]

Rainer,

Yes, you're totally right on this.
But the benefits of the net that you describe aren't
specific to synth DIY : it's also true for many other
human activities.

The point I wanted to make was : why not include
the net in synth DIY design (see examples in my
previous post) to achieve things that could never have
been done without the net...
That would be really mind-blowing...

In the early 20th century, the first manufactured cars
were just coaches in which horses had been replaced
by an engine... IMHO, in 2005 the net is roughly in
the same situation. Even if it looked mind-blowing to
replace a horse by a piece of machinery in 1910, there
was still lots of place for some improvements...

JB

> >IOW doing easier and faster things that could be done
> >before (the net was widespread).
>
> Agreed, that this is far from being truly mind-blowing, but OTOH it
> opens up possibilities which just were not present before.
>
> Take "closed" information for example such as service manuals, OS
> documentation for old machines, datasheets of long obsolete parts.
>
> Back in the "analog" era of communication you would probe some contacts
> and in case of failure that's it. I'm quite sure that back then numerous
> helpful souls existed which would have been more than willing to share
> their information -- if they just knew how to reach the people
> interested in that information.
>
> So today one is not limited to direct contacts and (small) private
> networks but has the power of mailinglists, usenet, and of course Google
> on their hands. Likewise, the keeper of arcane and hidden knowledge can
> set up a web site and throw some pointers at appropriate places so that
> information seekers can find what they're looking for -- and without the
> huge delay "human networks" tend to show with information propagating
> down a "I know a guy who knows a guy who knows someone who might..."
> line.
>
> Rainer