Technology and transmissions (was: Re: Biometrics)

[Jay R. Ashworth]

On Tue, Jun 08, 2004 at 02:29:24AM -0400, Bill Vermillion wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 07, 2004 at 02:29:44PM -0400, Fairlight thus spoke:
> > Simon--er, no...it was Bill Vermillion--said:
> > > 
> > > > Well hell, making sure the right person is picking them up is
> > > > a low-tech problem, but you're already bringing in high-tech
> > > > equipment far beyond reason. What's one more step?
> 
> > > It's called $$$.
> 
> > If you're gonna do something, do it right? :) What was the
> > saying about fast, cheap, or good--pick any two?
> 
> High tech is not always the correct way to do things.

Indeed.  If nothing else, it complicates things, sometimes too much.

Case in point.  

The Plymouth Voyager my insurance company just totaled (so I had enough
money to buy a BMW; mixed blessing) has an A604 electronically-shifted
4-speed automatic transmission.  Because the tranny shifts by computer
control -- and because it doesn't *sense* what's going on, but
*computes*  it, based on the fluid properties of the *required* ATF+3
transmission fluid -- if you use Dexron III, as so many people
(including the Oil Can Henry's I haddo fluid and filter at 80) seem to
*think* you can, that computer doesn't really know what's going on...

and the shifting, and shortly the transmission, go to hell.

That's why my 635 has a stick.

Well, y'know, that and the mid-life-crisis.  :-)

> > Turnstiles seem primitive, but I suppose it could work if you have
> > full-height ones.
> 
> That's what I was talking about.  Havent you seen the ones with
> multiple parallel bars.  Everything else goes to the ceiling and
> the only way through is the one way rotation with room for only one
> person.

Yeah, they're popular on subways; I think boston has them.

> Having a scanner is far easier than having to have someone identify
> a person visually and push a button that unlock a door.  It's just
> a more expensive and less labor intensive lock.

Ah yes... artificial stupidity.

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                                                jra at baylink.com
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