4 ms·

Are there other fields where the slogan "don't roll your own XXX unless you are an infallible expert" is applicable?

kobeya 9y ago
Aviation, medical devices, civil engineering.
jrimbault 9y ago
If you were a cook you wouldn't really be qualified to build a stove or make your own knives, but you'd know what kind of stove and knives you'd want.
dlgeek 9y ago
Parachute?
- kabouseng 9y ago
  Actually you do roll your own parachute once you have done enough jumps. But your reserve chute is always rolled by a certified professional specifically certified to roll reserve chutes, and not by yourself. (if I remember correctly, my memory is a bit fuzzy from when I jumped a couple of years back)
  - Piskvorrr 9y ago
    Well, you are using the product, but not manufacturing it.
- sebcat 9y ago
  You don't have to be an expert to make/jump the actual parachute/canopy. As long as the harness, container and reserve are TSO'd you're good to go. It's a lot of work though, at least for a ram-air. EDIT: Some interesting discussion here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4822410 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=482241...
- karrotwaltz 9y ago
  I'm not sure about "don't roll your own parachute" as it should be common sense, but well, in 1912 a parachute inventor died while testing his creation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Reichelt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Reichelt
- cromulent 9y ago
  I know a few guys who have manufactured their own canopies and harness/container systems in their garage, and I've jumped them - even though I consider these guys fallible :)
KineticLensman 9y ago
"Hey y'all, hold my beer and look at this!" There are [1] several non-aviation examples: - Blood transfusion - Steam-powered bicycles - Rotary printing presses - Submarines - Luminescent paint - Hi-speed jet-powered railcars - Ropes /pulleys to help the user get out of bed [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inventors_killed_by_their_own_inventions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inventors_killed_by_th...
- ithkuil 9y ago
  > - Steam-powered bicycles On a first read I though "yeah, sure, looks quite dangerous indeed", then I read: Sylvester H. Roper, inventor of the eponymous steam-powered bicycle, died of a heart attack or subsequent crash during a public speed trial in 1896. It is unknown whether the crash caused the heart attack or vice versa.
  - Piskvorrr 9y ago
    This seems to mean "killed in an interesting way". People killed by their inventions in petrol-based transportation seem to be too numerous even for a Wikipedia list: "yeah, people die in cars en masse, that's not really newsworthy."
- kpil 9y ago
  Best Wikipedia page ever!
socceroos 9y ago
reefer?
inopinatus 9y ago
- Terms & conditions of use - Chocolate soufflé - Distributed lock manager - Autonomous war robot - init(1) replacement I am personally guilty of attempting four of these things without adequate preparation or expertise.
- pzduniak 9y ago
  I seriously hope that you didn't try to write an init(1) replacement!

Aviation, medical devices, civil engineering.

If you were a cook you wouldn't really be qualified to build a stove or make your own knives, but you'd know what kind of stove and knives you'd want.

dlgeek 9y ago

Parachute?

kabouseng 9y ago
Actually you do roll your own parachute once you have done enough jumps. But your reserve chute is always rolled by a certified professional specifically certified to roll reserve chutes, and not by yourself. (if I remember correctly, my memory is a bit fuzzy from when I jumped a couple of years back)
- Piskvorrr 9y ago
  Well, you are using the product, but not manufacturing it.
sebcat 9y ago
You don't have to be an expert to make/jump the actual parachute/canopy. As long as the harness, container and reserve are TSO'd you're good to go. It's a lot of work though, at least for a ram-air. EDIT: Some interesting discussion here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4822410 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=482241...
karrotwaltz 9y ago
I'm not sure about "don't roll your own parachute" as it should be common sense, but well, in 1912 a parachute inventor died while testing his creation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Reichelt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Reichelt
cromulent 9y ago
I know a few guys who have manufactured their own canopies and harness/container systems in their garage, and I've jumped them - even though I consider these guys fallible :)

KineticLensman 9y ago

"Hey y'all, hold my beer and look at this!" There are [1] several non-aviation examples: - Blood transfusion - Steam-powered bicycles - Rotary printing presses - Submarines - Luminescent paint - Hi-speed jet-powered railcars - Ropes /pulleys to help the user get out of bed [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inventors_killed_by_their_own_inventions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_inventors_killed_by_th...

ithkuil 9y ago
> - Steam-powered bicycles On a first read I though "yeah, sure, looks quite dangerous indeed", then I read: Sylvester H. Roper, inventor of the eponymous steam-powered bicycle, died of a heart attack or subsequent crash during a public speed trial in 1896. It is unknown whether the crash caused the heart attack or vice versa.
- Piskvorrr 9y ago
  This seems to mean "killed in an interesting way". People killed by their inventions in petrol-based transportation seem to be too numerous even for a Wikipedia list: "yeah, people die in cars en masse, that's not really newsworthy."
kpil 9y ago
Best Wikipedia page ever!

socceroos 9y ago

reefer?

inopinatus 9y ago

- Terms & conditions of use - Chocolate soufflé - Distributed lock manager - Autonomous war robot - init(1) replacement I am personally guilty of attempting four of these things without adequate preparation or expertise.

pzduniak 9y ago
I seriously hope that you didn't try to write an init(1) replacement!