Voices from the past

[Max Hauser]

Submitted for your possible enjoyment. Others have enjoyed these in the
past (variously).



These quotations arose in overlapping contexts of electronics for signals,
especially audio. All were captured from original newsgroup articles at the
time (not from archives), spellings and capitalizations intact. Final entry
is secondary quotation of Rube Goldberg (engineer, Berkeley '33 I think,
later cartoonist), a good maxim for which some specialists may recognize
especial applications in signal processing and communications. (Historical
Usenet note: net.audio was renamed rec.audio shortly after first entry
here, later split into subgroups.)





"The `proof by elegant and misleading assertion' is a common tactic in
net.audio, and indeed in the audio world at large. This tactic, coupled
with those individuals who have vested interests, is another one of the
reasons that the audio industry is 20 years behind the state of both the
analog and digital art, and lagging further behind as I write." -- jj,
article <[email protected]>, net.audio, 23 Sep 85.



"Did you know that a square wave has the most harmonics than any other wave
because it contains every odd harmonic to enfinity?" -- [email protected]
(Mcintosh Ricky Joe S), article <[email protected]>, 11 July 91.



"This business of science being so dogmatic that it can't accept new ideas
is a standard line from New-Age mystical types, usually with something to
sell you." -- Kevin R Boyce in <[email protected]>, 21
July 91.



"This issue's shocking expose of Bitstream alone will save you enough
dollars to order a 50 year subscription." -- International Audio Review,
Hotline issue 61-62 (mailed August 1991), page 1. [References to classic
and widely cited engineering papers sharply discrediting the "exposé" and
predating it by decades appeared immediately on newsgroups.]



"And I say again that oversampling does not mean interpolation ... didn't we
go through all this some months back? Regularly? Ad infinitum?" --
[email protected] (Shane Sturrock), Edinburgh University, article
<[email protected]>, rec.audio, 26 Nov 91 09:12:22 GMT



"Inform thyself." -- [email protected], <[email protected]>, rec.audio, 1
Mar 92 16:43:19 GMT



"No matter how thin you slice it, it's still baloney." -- Rube Goldberg, as
quoted by Lee Roth, article <[email protected]>

 

[Jim Thompson]

Submitted for your possible enjoyment. Others have enjoyed these in the
past (variously).
[snip]

"The `proof by elegant and misleading assertion' is a common tactic in
net.audio, and indeed in the audio world at large. This tactic, coupled
with those individuals who have vested interests, is another one of the
reasons that the audio industry is 20 years behind the state of both the
analog and digital art, and lagging further behind as I write." -- jj,
article <[email protected]>, net.audio, 23 Sep 85.

[snip]

Now 38 years behind. Observe the continuing mental lack-of-capacity
of the TOOOOOBZ crowd ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[John Woodgate]

I read in sci.electronics.design that Jim Thompson

Now 38 years behind. Observe the continuing mental lack-of-capacity
of the TOOOOOBZ crowd ;-)

Well, yes, if you restrict it to 'TOOOOOBZ'. But if people *like the
sound* of tube audio, why not just let them use it?

It's the idiots who claim that tube gear is *technically* better that
are deluded. OTOH, it need not be disastrously bad.

 

[Jim Thompson]

I read in sci.electronics.design that Jim Thompson


Well, yes, if you restrict it to 'TOOOOOBZ'. But if people *like the
sound* of tube audio, why not just let them use it?

It's the idiots who claim that tube gear is *technically* better that
are deluded. OTOH, it need not be disastrously bad.

TOOOOOBZ, and other audio insanities, are like religion... do whatever
you like but if you try to proselytize me you risk your life.

...Jim Thompson

 

[John Woodgate]

I read in sci.electronics.design that Jim Thompson

TOOOOOBZ, and other audio insanities, are like religion... do whatever
you like but if you try to proselytize me you risk your life.

I wouldn't dream of it. You are beyond redemption. (;-)