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erco's First Law of Robotics — Parallax Forums

erco's First Law of Robotics

ercoerco Posts: 20,257
in Robotics
1) You must drink a beer any time you work on robots.

Amirite? Can I get an Amen? Not really my law to claim, plenty of others have discovered that before me. Just needed to distinguish this claim from Asimov's.

Once we all agree on #1, we can flesh out the rest. I'm not a lite beer fan, but let's just taboo that discussion like religion & politics.

I now return to my icy Corona in progress.

Comments

  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    AMEN!
    A properly lubricated brain just functions so much more.....interestingly!
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    Alas, I'm probably the only teetotaler around here. I guess it's okay, as someone has to be the designated builder.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    Alas, I'm probably the only teetotaler around here.

    Your secret is safe with me, friend. I'm fully prepared to secretly drink your beer (plus mine) at any public function where you may feel compelled to conceal that fact. I got your back, Merry Christmas.

  • JasonDorieJasonDorie Posts: 1,930
    The have been studies done on the effect that skill & coordination actually seem to improve with a small amount of alcohol before they totally devolve again. I knew that long ago from playing pool. Gets you relaxed, lets the creativity flow a little easier. I'm willing to do more research just to be sure.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    There was a great show on British TV years ago where they were expounding on the dangers of alcohol and especially drinking and driving. Which was pretty much a universal activity at the time. During the show they wanted to demonstrate this by having some people drive a virtual car in a driving simulator. As the discussion progressed these people were given some beers now and then.

    At the end of the show their driving performance had improved greatly!

    Not that I'm suggesting this is a good line of research mind you.

    Personally I like to keep the drink till I have got whatever it is working. Then it's time to celebrate a little.

    As James Watt complained to his financial backer, Matthew Boulton, whilst trying to build the first steam engines "You have a lot of very skilled engineers in your factory, the problem is finding one that will stay sober long enough to build anything"
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    Alas, I'm probably the only teetotaler around here.

    You're not the only one Gordon.

    I confess to not being able to build robots without a cold Dr. Pepper.

  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    I thought Erco's first law of robotics was add a flamethrower!

    While I enjoy beer quite a bit, I only have it with meals, so I am dry while roboting.
  • evanhevanh Posts: 16,066
    The first rule of The Doctor keeps changing too!
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    How many half empty's do you find laying around the next morning? It shows me that once the creative juices start to flow, I cant seem to keep my mind on drinking beer properly.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2015-12-16 17:44
    Yes, that can be a problem :)

    I keep finding cold cups of tea in the kitchen as well. That I have made and then immediately forgotten about.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2015-12-16 15:15
    The beers numb the pain somewhat when I solder my fingers together. BURP.

    That does it, I'm taking Gordon & Duane out to a bar to get bot-faced ASAP. All you boys can drink, my treat!
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2015-12-16 15:15
    erco wrote: »
    The beers numb the pain somewhat when I solder my fingers together. BURP.

    Or when you are ripping off that CA from your finger tips. :)


  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    You are wise, my friend!

    People often think I am giving them the OK sign when in reality, my thumb and pointer are superglued together.
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    I agree with the 'first law' only if it's Sam Adams lager. Normally it's shiraz wine.
  • abecedarianabecedarian Posts: 312
    https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/choke/201204/alcohol-benefits-the-creative-process

    Optimum BAC for creativity is around 0.075%.
  • tomcrawfordtomcrawford Posts: 1,129
    Lewis Padgett wrote a series of short stories about "..Gallegher, who played at science by ear". He was productive only when drunk.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    Somtimes I wish I could duplicate electronically, the senses of a knat. I have been swatting these rogue kamikaze's for three month's now, and I do know about cider vinegar.
  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    I had hundreds of the little buggars in my kitchen and they all laughed at my pitiful cider vinegar trap. All the tiny laughter stopped when I unfurled just one fly strip, the kind that is rolled up in a small tube and is covered with an icky goo. It took about a week and they were all stuck in the goo. No more gnats.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    Hal Albach wrote: »
    I had hundreds of the little buggars in my kitchen and they all laughed at my pitiful cider vinegar trap. All the tiny laughter stopped when I unfurled just one fly strip, the kind that is rolled up in a small tube and is covered with an icky goo. It took about a week and they were all stuck in the goo. No more gnats.



    First of all I need to spell them little bugger's right, "gnats", Thanks for reminding how.We use the fly strips from time to time, there is always a few that are too smart for it, not like the wife and I, running into them by accident.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    BTW, they make a nice "POP" if you can manage to hit one with an electronic swatter.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    You know those cheap blue lasers that can pop a balloon or ignite a match?

    There must be some possibility for scorching the wings off of gnats and mosquitoes with those.

    I always thought they were attracted by body heat, that is to say infra red. So perhaps infra red LEDs to attract them to the laser.
  • hatallicahatallica Posts: 175
    erco wrote: »
    1) You must drink a beer any time you work.

    Pardon my truncation/paraphrase, but I believe that this rule is universal and need not be limited to robots (who may gain self-awareness and subsequently drink your beer).

    I have been known to use beer to celebrate small successes on many projects. The trick is to never use it to console yourself for things that do not work - that rewards failure and creates a negative association with beer.

    A normal Friday conversation at my house ...
    Wife: "Do you want to spend time together this weekend?"
    Me: "Sure, you can help me build a CNC machine."
    Wife: "Does it involve good beer?"
    Me: "Only if we are doing it properly."
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    Heater. wrote: »
    You know those cheap blue lasers that can pop a balloon or ignite a match?

    There must be some possibility for scorching the wings off of gnats and mosquitoes with those.

    I always thought they were attracted by body heat, that is to say infra red. So perhaps infra red LEDs to attract them to the laser.





    That would be cool if you could scan the laser in a grid pattern, fun to watch them crash and burn, we will all have to start wearing are ruby glasses here, don't think they will work with a blue laser though.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    hatallica wrote: »
    ...A normal Friday conversation at my house ...
    Wife: "Do you want to spend time together this weekend?"
    Me: "Sure, you can help me build a CNC machine."
    Wife: "Does it involve good beer?"
    Me: "Only if we are doing it properly."

    She is a keeper!

    Mike

  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    Cup of Coffee? Maybe not having a beer is where I've been going wrong!
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    I usually wait for something to go wrong... then have a beer.

    What is Erco's Second Rule of Robotics?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    Six laws. Six pack. Coincidence?
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    The gnats are bloated and slow, easy targets, nothing significant done with microcontroller's lately, I'm worried.
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