Driver to drive?

Jim Yanik · Apr 21, 2009

Allus Smith <allus_smith@com.com> wrote in
news:Xns9BF419E55AFC0628D1@news.albasani.net:

On 21 Apr 01:39, Joerg wrote:

Allus Smith wrote:
On 21 Apr 00:01, John-Del wrote:

On Apr 20, 5:41 pm, Allus Smith <allus_sm...@com.com> wrote:
On 20 Apr 22:23, John Larkin wrote:

There are probably 200 US cars with this sort of styling:
http://www.swiftweblog.com/media/1/20050616-C2006_
300_2.jpg

You are wrong. Despite the recession, Chrysler has sold
considerably more than 200 of that model.

I should hope so too! However I didn't say that. I
said:

"There are probably 200 US cars with this sort of styling
[Chrysler 300] for every US car that looks like this
[Chrysler ME] and that one is still very angular."

Of course that Chrysler ME 4-12 is a concept car and not for
sale.

This is not a concept car and you can actually buy one for a
reasonable price. I lately had the pleasure and that thing
sure corners well. Best of all, on the freeway it doesn't use
more gas than a compact passenger car:

http://www.chevrolet.com/corvette/
Same here:
http://www.dodge.com/en/2008/viper/

The Corvette and Viper are lovely cars. They're not exactly
typical of American design.

That's what I meant when I said there are probably 200 cars which
have that "hit a brick wall" look for every one which looks sleek
and smooth.

Chrysler got that design -from- their crash testing. B-)

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Jim Yanik · Apr 21, 2009

Robert Baer <robertbaer@localnet.com> wrote in
news:taqdnWTbhNpp4HDUnZ2dnUVZ_vOdnZ2d@posted.localnet:

Allus Smith wrote:

All this talk about soldering irons makes me think how crummy too
much American industrial design is.

Some US industrial design looks great but some looks downright,
well, Russian.

Sure you can see crap-looking design in western Europe too but
there's a lot less of it than in the US.

Take soldering irons for example. An ordinary soldering iron in
the US with unregulated temperature still has great big mofo screws
holding the tip.

By comparison, my 30 year old British-made basic Antex is a sleek
looking baby and those Antexes are not particularly expensive.

Don't start me on the looks of cars!

Well, i have seen what might be called a variant, where the tip
screws into the heating section (from RatShop!).

those are likely from Weller;they've been doing that for ages.

I'm Curious;who HAS a Russian soldering iron to know what is their design?

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Vladimir Vassilevsky · Apr 21, 2009

Jim Yanik wrote:

I'm Curious;who HAS a Russian soldering iron to know what is their
design?

I used to have "Termit" (Ňĺđěčň Ď36Ę). Neither better or worse then WES-50.

http://priboi.ru/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=9&category_id=1&flypage=flypage.tpl&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&fd7e9ff9dc80d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&pop=1&tmpl=component&fd7e9ff9dc80d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

Vladimir Vassilevsky
DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant
http://www.abvolt.com

Mike · Apr 21, 2009

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
<jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

--

John Larkin · Apr 21, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:27 +0100, Mike <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

Most discoveries have precedents. But the US has a solid history of
doing things that work. Maybe Edison didn't invent the first electric
light, or Ford didn't invent the car, but they sure made them
available to the world.

But vacuum tubes, transistors, electronic television, ICs, lasers,
microprocessors, LEDS, FPGAs, fiber optics, internet, the majority of
electronics stuff is American.

The claim that the US is somehow lagging Europe technologically is
just silly. We are stuck with some older technologies, simply because
we invented and deployed them first.

John

Jim Thompson · Apr 21, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:41:49 -0700, John Larkin
<jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:27 +0100, Mike <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

Most discoveries have precedents. But the US has a solid history of
doing things that work. Maybe Edison didn't invent the first electric
light, or Ford didn't invent the car, but they sure made them
available to the world.

But vacuum tubes, transistors, electronic television, ICs, lasers,
microprocessors, LEDS, FPGAs, fiber optics, internet, the majority of
electronics stuff is American.

The claim that the US is somehow lagging Europe technologically is
just silly. We are stuck with some older technologies, simply because
we invented and deployed them first.

John

Jim Yanik · Apr 21, 2009

Vladimir Vassilevsky <antispam_bogus@hotmail.com> wrote in
news

XkHl.25123$c45.7073@nlpi065.nbdc.sbc.com:

Jim Yanik wrote:

I'm Curious;who HAS a Russian soldering iron to know what is their
design?

I used to have "Termit" (Ňĺđěčň Ď36Ę). Neither better or worse then
WES-50.

http://priboi.ru/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=9&categ
ory_id=1&flypage=flypage.tpl&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&fd7e9ff9dc8
0d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&pop=1&tmpl=compo
nent&fd7e9ff9dc80d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&
vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

Vladimir Vassilevsky
DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant
http://www.abvolt.com

you might try using TinyURL.....

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Joerg · Apr 21, 2009

Vladimir Vassilevsky wrote:

Jim Yanik wrote:

I'm Curious;who HAS a Russian soldering iron to know what is their
design?

I used to have "Termit" (Ňĺđěčň Ď36Ę). Neither better or worse then WES-50.

http://priboi.ru/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=9&category_id=1&flypage=flypage.tpl&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&fd7e9ff9dc80d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&pop=1&tmpl=component&fd7e9ff9dc80d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

I have a few Russian bench power supplies. Not so good pass transistors
(one went tsk ... *BANG* and destroyed some connected stuff) and the
design it a bit on the ugly side but otherwise cast iron quality, potted
transformers and all. Na'sdarovje!

What really surprised me was the amount of labor they put into such
lower end gear. Laced wiring harnesses, umpteen quality control
signatures and stamps (probably accompanied by a salute), every little
gizmo in there has its own bakelite holder, and so on.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

"gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam.
Use another domain or send PM.

Vladimir Vassilevsky · Apr 21, 2009

Joerg wrote:

I have a few Russian bench power supplies. Not so good pass
transistors (one went tsk ... *BANG* and destroyed some connected
stuff) and the design it a bit on the ugly side but otherwise cast
iron quality, potted transformers and all. Na'sdarovje!
What really surprised me was the amount of labor they put into such
lower end gear. Laced wiring harnesses, umpteen quality control
signatures and stamps (probably accompanied by a salute), every
little gizmo in there has its own bakelite holder, and so on.

This is one of the consequences of the non-market economy. Although the
lack of incentive usually results in the low quality, sometimes you
can get a really good stuff just because they didn't account for the
true costs of labor and materials. You can still find the examples of
this post-soviet phenomenon in all areas; how about a shovel with the
titanium blade?

Vladimir Vassilevsky
DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant
http://www.abvolt.com

qrk · Apr 21, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:50:15 -0700, Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:41:49 -0700, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:27 +0100, Mike <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

Most discoveries have precedents. But the US has a solid history of
doing things that work. Maybe Edison didn't invent the first electric
light, or Ford didn't invent the car, but they sure made them
available to the world.

But vacuum tubes, transistors, electronic television, ICs, lasers,
microprocessors, LEDS, FPGAs, fiber optics, internet, the majority of
electronics stuff is American.

The claim that the US is somehow lagging Europe technologically is
just silly. We are stuck with some older technologies, simply because
we invented and deployed them first.

John

Come on, now, John, You know everything was invented by the French...
while they were out on strike ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I thought he was talking about you, Jim

Couldn't help myself...

--
Mark

Jim Thompson · Apr 21, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:06:46 GMT, qrk <SpamTrap@spam.net> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:50:15 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:41:49 -0700, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:27 +0100, Mike <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

Most discoveries have precedents. But the US has a solid history of
doing things that work. Maybe Edison didn't invent the first electric
light, or Ford didn't invent the car, but they sure made them
available to the world.

But vacuum tubes, transistors, electronic television, ICs, lasers,
microprocessors, LEDS, FPGAs, fiber optics, internet, the majority of
electronics stuff is American.

The claim that the US is somehow lagging Europe technologically is
just silly. We are stuck with some older technologies, simply because
we invented and deployed them first.

John

Come on, now, John, You know everything was invented by the French...
while they were out on strike ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I thought he was talking about you, Jim
Couldn't help myself...

Spehro Pefhany · Apr 21, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:43:30 -0500, Vladimir Vassilevsky
<antispam_bogus@hotmail.com> wrote:

Jim Yanik wrote:

I'm Curious;who HAS a Russian soldering iron to know what is their
design?

I used to have "Termit" (Ňĺđěčň Ď36Ę). Neither better or worse then WES-50.

http://priboi.ru/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=9&category_id=1&flypage=flypage.tpl&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&fd7e9ff9dc80d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&pop=1&tmpl=component&fd7e9ff9dc80d6f2780ad6710090ed1b=b52a99417e22035f2ce10937177e1d6d&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

Is that a thermcouple junction set into a PTFE aperture for testing
tip temperature?

Looks like the sort of thing the military users would want.

Vladimir Vassilevsky
DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant
http://www.abvolt.com

Rich Grise · Apr 21, 2009

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:57:30 +0000, Jan Panteltje wrote:

For sure better and cheaper then 'Weller'. Not sure if these are still
made....

They must be - they sponsor this:
http://www.createtv.com/CreateProgram.nsf/vProgramsByNola/GWVP?OpenDocument&Index=

Admittedly, it's about "Leaded" glass, and the gal uses an industrial
strength iron, liquid flux, and 60/40 solid solder, but they do air a
Weller ad.

Cheers!
Rich

krw · Apr 22, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:10:41 -0700, Jim Thompson
<To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:06:46 GMT, qrk <SpamTrap@spam.net> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:50:15 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:41:49 -0700, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:27 +0100, Mike <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

Most discoveries have precedents. But the US has a solid history of
doing things that work. Maybe Edison didn't invent the first electric
light, or Ford didn't invent the car, but they sure made them
available to the world.

But vacuum tubes, transistors, electronic television, ICs, lasers,
microprocessors, LEDS, FPGAs, fiber optics, internet, the majority of
electronics stuff is American.

The claim that the US is somehow lagging Europe technologically is
just silly. We are stuck with some older technologies, simply because
we invented and deployed them first.

John

Come on, now, John, You know everything was invented by the French...
while they were out on strike ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I thought he was talking about you, Jim
Couldn't help myself...

If it ain't broke, don't fix it ;-)

How do you fix the French? "Fix" 'em? ;-)

Jim Thompson · Apr 22, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:32:51 -0500, krw <krw@att.bizzzzzzzzzzz> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:10:41 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:06:46 GMT, qrk <SpamTrap@spam.net> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:50:15 -0700, Jim Thompson
To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:41:49 -0700, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:27 +0100, Mike <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

Most discoveries have precedents. But the US has a solid history of
doing things that work. Maybe Edison didn't invent the first electric
light, or Ford didn't invent the car, but they sure made them
available to the world.

But vacuum tubes, transistors, electronic television, ICs, lasers,
microprocessors, LEDS, FPGAs, fiber optics, internet, the majority of
electronics stuff is American.

The claim that the US is somehow lagging Europe technologically is
just silly. We are stuck with some older technologies, simply because
we invented and deployed them first.

John

Come on, now, John, You know everything was invented by the French...
while they were out on strike ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I thought he was talking about you, Jim
Couldn't help myself...

If it ain't broke, don't fix it ;-)

How do you fix the French? "Fix" 'em? ;-)

przemek klosowski · Apr 22, 2009

Allus Smith <allus_smith@com.com> wrote in

All this talk about soldering irons makes me think how crummy too much
American industrial design is.
Some US industrial design looks great but some looks downright, well,
Russian.

and John Larkin stood in defense of American innovation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Absolutely, the US is the powerhouse of invention. However the industrial
design reflects the somehow conservative esthetics of the US population.
My favorite example: electrical outlets and switches. The basic shape
looks like it was designed in the fifties and never changed:
http://www.fruitridgetools.com/storefrontprofiles/processfeed.aspx?
sfid=136763&i=230878456&mpid=8171&dfid=1

You just don't have stuff like this in Europe--the customers there
demands fancier, modern design, like the Decora switches. I am not saying
this is inherently good or bad: the standard switch costs fifty cents,
and is super-reliable.

Another example is the dominant furniture style: IKEA making slow inroads
against the standard velvety sofa http://www.homereserve.com/furn-
style.cfm?item=Sofa&sel=7
--
Przemek Klosowski, Ph.D. <przemek.klosowski at gmail>

John Larkin · Apr 22, 2009

On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:07:04 GMT, przemek klosowski
<przemek.klosowski@gmail.nospam> wrote:

Allus Smith <allus_smith@com.com> wrote in

All this talk about soldering irons makes me think how crummy too much
American industrial design is.
Some US industrial design looks great but some looks downright, well,
Russian.

and John Larkin stood in defense of American innovation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Absolutely, the US is the powerhouse of invention. However the industrial
design reflects the somehow conservative esthetics of the US population.

Of course. People manufacture what customers want to buy. And taste is
arbitrary.

My favorite example: electrical outlets and switches. The basic shape
looks like it was designed in the fifties and never changed:
http://www.fruitridgetools.com/storefrontprofiles/processfeed.aspx?
sfid=136763&i=230878456&mpid=8171&dfid=1

You just don't have stuff like this in Europe--the customers there
demands fancier, modern design, like the Decora switches. I am not saying
this is inherently good or bad: the standard switch costs fifty cents,
and is super-reliable.

We have all sorts of fancy outlets and switches here, including
Decora, and some people buy them. Personally, I don't like the Decora
switches.

Another example is the dominant furniture style: IKEA making slow inroads
against the standard velvety sofa http://www.homereserve.com/furn-
style.cfm?item=Sofa&sel=7

Hardly "dominant", but common and comfortable. We have all sorts of
furniture here, too. A lot of the Ikea stuff isn't comfortable.

This is a big country with a lot of variety. And there's nothing wrong
with tradition.

John

krw · Apr 22, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:24:52 -0700, John Larkin
<jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:07:04 GMT, przemek klosowski
przemek.klosowski@gmail.nospam> wrote:

Allus Smith <allus_smith@com.com> wrote in

All this talk about soldering irons makes me think how crummy too much
American industrial design is.
Some US industrial design looks great but some looks downright, well,
Russian.

and John Larkin stood in defense of American innovation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Absolutely, the US is the powerhouse of invention. However the industrial
design reflects the somehow conservative esthetics of the US population.

Of course. People manufacture what customers want to buy. And taste is
arbitrary.

My favorite example: electrical outlets and switches. The basic shape
looks like it was designed in the fifties and never changed:
http://www.fruitridgetools.com/storefrontprofiles/processfeed.aspx?
sfid=136763&i=230878456&mpid=8171&dfid=1

You just don't have stuff like this in Europe--the customers there
demands fancier, modern design, like the Decora switches. I am not saying
this is inherently good or bad: the standard switch costs fifty cents,
and is super-reliable.

We have all sorts of fancy outlets and switches here, including
Decora, and some people buy them. Personally, I don't like the Decora
switches.

I'm not much of a Decora fan either, but that's the only style they
make GFCI outlets in. I sorta like everything in the room to match,
so the Decora goes in the basement and garage. ;-)

Another example is the dominant furniture style: IKEA making slow inroads
against the standard velvety sofa http://www.homereserve.com/furn-
style.cfm?item=Sofa&sel=7

Hardly "dominant", but common and comfortable. We have all sorts of
furniture here, too. A lot of the Ikea stuff isn't comfortable.

IKEA certainly isn't dominant. In fact I've never seen it in anyone's
house. Perhaps it's ubiquitous in left lefty land but not the rest of
the country.

This is a big country with a lot of variety. And there's nothing wrong
with tradition.

I prefer Ohio Amish built Mission style furniture, in Cherry.

http://www.greenacresfurniture.com/catalog/content/productcollection/?collection=118

....and it'll last longer than particle board with a picture of wood on
it.

Robert Baer · Apr 22, 2009

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:41:49 -0700, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:27 +0100, Mike <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:35:18 -0700, John Larkin
jjSNIPlarkin@highTHISlandtechnology.com> wrote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Probably the most inaccurate page on Wikipedia, with probably the
longest list of dubious references. 90% of the inventions on that
list were invented by someone else, in a different country, years,
decades or in some cases even centuries before.

Most discoveries have precedents. But the US has a solid history of
doing things that work. Maybe Edison didn't invent the first electric
light, or Ford didn't invent the car, but they sure made them
available to the world.

But vacuum tubes, transistors, electronic television, ICs, lasers,
microprocessors, LEDS, FPGAs, fiber optics, internet, the majority of
electronics stuff is American.

The claim that the US is somehow lagging Europe technologically is
just silly. We are stuck with some older technologies, simply because
we invented and deployed them first.

John

Come on, now, John, You know everything was invented by the French...
while they were out on strike ;-)

...Jim Thompson
"Patently" untrue..

The Russians invented everything; back when i was a kid (rughly 60
years ago), a lot of equipment advertised that fact:
"Reg. U.S. Pat. Off" meaning Reginald US vonPatOff (senior? his magisty?).

qrk · Apr 22, 2009

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:23:05 -0500, krw <krw@att.bizzzzzzzzzzz> wrote:

On Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:24:52 -0700, John Larkin
jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:07:04 GMT, przemek klosowski
przemek.klosowski@gmail.nospam> wrote:

Allus Smith <allus_smith@com.com> wrote in

All this talk about soldering irons makes me think how crummy too much
American industrial design is.
Some US industrial design looks great but some looks downright, well,
Russian.

and John Larkin stood in defense of American innovation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

Absolutely, the US is the powerhouse of invention. However the industrial
design reflects the somehow conservative esthetics of the US population.

Of course. People manufacture what customers want to buy. And taste is
arbitrary.

My favorite example: electrical outlets and switches. The basic shape
looks like it was designed in the fifties and never changed:
http://www.fruitridgetools.com/storefrontprofiles/processfeed.aspx?
sfid=136763&i=230878456&mpid=8171&dfid=1

You just don't have stuff like this in Europe--the customers there
demands fancier, modern design, like the Decora switches. I am not saying
this is inherently good or bad: the standard switch costs fifty cents,
and is super-reliable.

We have all sorts of fancy outlets and switches here, including
Decora, and some people buy them. Personally, I don't like the Decora
switches.

I'm not much of a Decora fan either, but that's the only style they
make GFCI outlets in. I sorta like everything in the room to match,
so the Decora goes in the basement and garage. ;-)

Another example is the dominant furniture style: IKEA making slow inroads
against the standard velvety sofa http://www.homereserve.com/furn-
style.cfm?item=Sofa&sel=7

Hardly "dominant", but common and comfortable. We have all sorts of
furniture here, too. A lot of the Ikea stuff isn't comfortable.

IKEA certainly isn't dominant. In fact I've never seen it in anyone's
house. Perhaps it's ubiquitous in left lefty land but not the rest of
the country.

This is a big country with a lot of variety. And there's nothing wrong
with tradition.

I prefer Ohio Amish built Mission style furniture, in Cherry.

http://www.greenacresfurniture.com/catalog/content/productcollection/?collection=118

...and it'll last longer than particle board with a picture of wood on
it.

I have an Ikea stool in my office. It keeps people from lurking too
long since it's very uncomfortable.

Driver to drive?

Jim Yanik

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