Bob Blick wrote:
> There's more than one way to do things. You are comfortable with it
> one way. Maybe his customer doesn't like being put through your meat
> grinder.

Getting at the real requirements isn't a meat grinder, but is a essential
part of engineering.  You can't design something if you don't know what it
needs to do.

> I know you won't deal with customers that can't come up with a
> complete specification.

Not at all, but when a customer can't describe the requirements it's my job
to ask the right questions to get them.  Often by understanding the system
one or two levels up you discover that there is a better way to solve the
overall problem.  In any case, you don't start designing before
understanding the system.

> I don't see how Alan is not a "good engineer" even by your definition.
> He is preparing his next round of questions for the customer.

The point was that these were questions he should have asked and gotten
answers to before jumping in and attempting the design.  It was a design
problem he originally came here with.  He should have seen for himself he
wasn't ready to ask that question yet.

His latest information raises more questions than it answers.  What he is
telling us is inconsistant with itself.  Motors don't go to fixed positions
based on a voltage by themselves.  That requires a control system around
them.  That means he's really talking to the control system and not driving
the motor directly, so the motor's raw specs don't matter.  This means he
doesn't know what is really being driven, which again means its premature t=
o
design the drive circuit for it.


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