4 ms·
This is a bit tangential, but I sometimes wish there were a word for the mistake of thinking a convention represents a fundamental property of the thing represe
by dionidium 5y ago
This is a bit tangential, but I sometimes wish there were a word for the mistake of thinking a convention represents a fundamental property of the thing represented.
Other examples that come to mind:
1. Maps that aren't oriented with north on top
2. U.S. electrical outlets that are "upside-down"
I'm sure there are others, but those are the two that jump to mind.
- jedberg 5y agoFunny you mention the outlets. They're actually safer "upside down" because if they get loose and something falls on top, it'll just hit the ground pin instead of possibly creating a circuit across the hot and neutral.
- eyelidlessness 5y agoNow I'm wondering why they're not "sideways" where neither of those seem likely.
- Talanes 5y agoI can absolutely picture something hitting a sideways plug, knocking it slightly loose, and then teetering over the edge of the top pin until it goes parallel and makes contact with the bottom pin.
- dionidium 5y agoThere's some truth to that, but it's not really taken all that seriously by electricians (and the NEC doesn't specify) https://www.reddit.com/r/electricians/comments/sdpmzb/my_own_mother_wants_this_says_people_actually/ https://www.reddit.com/r/electricians/comments/sdpmzb/my_own...