XPost: comp.sys.cbm   
   From: msmcdoug@no.spam.iinet   
      
   Clocky wrote:   
      
   > That's the problem though, a lot of them may be brilliant on a theoretical   
   > level and place themselves all others that don't have a degree but they   
   > often lack real world practical experience to solve real world problems.   
      
   I'm a degree-qualified electronics engineer and I certainly know *my*   
   limitations. I did rather well academically but there are some areas of   
   electronics which almost defy my comprehension and consequently I have zero   
   experience in those fields. OTOH I'm quite proficient in other areas and   
   have no hesitation in holding myself up as an "expert" in these.   
      
   >> Engineers don't know it all but they are supposed to be equipped with the   
   >> knowledge in how to find out how to do something   
      
   You've hit the nail on the head there.   
      
   I've studied with "engineers" that I wouldn't trust replacing the batteries   
   in my torch - and I've worked with "non-engineers" that have successfully   
   designed real-world systems.   
      
   A piece of paper is only that - there's nothing magic about the knowledge   
   gained sitting in a lecture. However, I'd agree that the foundations in   
   mathematics and physics forced upon you at uni (at least they *used* to be -   
   there's a worrying trend seeing courses dumbed-down) are invaluable and not   
   always part of a self-taught curriculum.   
      
   Of course, society needs yard-sticks and a degree is a ticket to an interview.   
      
   [As an aside, this whole Jeri-worshipping is pretty sad. AFAIK it all   
   sprouts from the CDTV/C-One (and nothing else) which quite frankly, is   
   rather old news now (the C-One is actually a bit of a lemon). There's plenty   
   of equivalent and more complicated/impressive designs floating around the   
   net these days...]   
      
   Regards,   
      
   --   
   |              Mark McDougall                | "Electrical Engineers do it   
   |     |   with less resistance!"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)