[sdiy] Was PTC/NTC intelectuall level of SDIY!

[Forbes, William ALGLSG-LXES]

Hi All,

I have an interesting observation to make, and in some way, my answer to
Ian's rhetorical question to Bruce.

I'm an engineer. In my day to day work I see many problems similar to
what is being discussed.
It's simply a case of understanding what engineering is all about.

In my view there are 4 main roles when designing a product. Scientists,
engineers, marketing and customers.
I know nobody likes marketing but I feel they have an important role to
play in a viable business. They are supposed to understand the
customer's needs whereas the scientists and engineers tend no to
understand the customer. In this way marketing act as an interface
between the customer and the product development team.

Ideas come out of R&D departments where scientists work long and hard to
come up with bright ideas (coming up with solutions). This is what
scientists are good at.
The ideas are then passed to engineers who are tasked with making the
things (in other words implementing the solution).
Marketing assess the idea and can decide if customers will desire the
product and at what price they may be prepared to pay for such a
product. This then limits the pool of solutions.

This is where the problem lies.

A scientist has the luxury to individually select and specify every
aspect of the idea without regard to price.
Marketing has to decide what price people are willing to pay for such a
device.
The engineers role is then to come up with ways to make the device for
the price.
If the device cannot be made for the price then nobody will buy the
product and hence it is not worth making.
If the device can be made to the price but the functionality of the
product is limited so much that it is no longer desirable then nobody
will buy the product and hence it is not worth making the product.

Engineering is all about making compromises and cutting corners.

The real skill is the identification of features that the customer will
be willing to live without.

I have seen may so called "over engineered" solutions that are so
expensive that nobody buys it.
I have seen may "cheap" solutions that sell well.
I have seen many "extremely cheap" solutions that are so cheap that
nobody buys it.

There is a fine balance, which is what a good engineer has to get right.
I've seen many a so called engineer come up with either of the two
extreme solutions. Good engineers can identify and refine the other
solution into a marketable product.

We, as a DIY'ers, have the luxury of performing all 4 roles and thus can
set your own business plan.
The real questions should be "would I still buy it if it does not do..."
If the answer is yes then you can save money. If the answer is no then
you can't remove that feature or make that compromise.

BTW that are also many solution domains. In Synths the main 2 appear to
be analogue and digital.
I really have a belief that you  can achieve most solutions in either
domain. The results will be extremely similar. The difference is simply
a matter of cost.

In this case I think if you over engineer an analogue solution you will
come up with a solution that is indistinguishable from a digital
solution that could have been made at a fraction of the price. 
This is not a good engineering principal.

Just my 2p worth.

Bill Forbes.

-----Original Message-----
From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
[mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of Ian Fritz
Sent: 20 March 2008 13:33
To: Bruce Duncan; synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Was PTC/NTC intelectuall level of SDIY!

At 02:03 AM 3/20/2008, Bruce Duncan wrote:
>Woo hoo..Rock'em Sock'em Synth DIYers battling out for supremacy.
>If they were in class together would they be burning each other with 
>their soldering irons ?

Hi Bruce -- What is your take on the tempco issue?  What do you think is
"god enough"?  How much effort do you put into VCO stability?

Just curious.

Ian 

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