On Sep 29, 2005, at 9:07 AM, Bruce Bullough wrote:
> We often don't acknowledge that engineering is a significantly
> CULTURAL thing.
Interesting point. When you compare the Russian space effort to the US
you really see how attitudes shape methodology. Both have had
remarkable successes and failures and we've managed to go from
cut-throat competitors to associates in the International Space
Station. When you compare approaches, it's like comparing a boxer and a
slugger or a string quartet to a jazz band. The US tends to manage the
hell out of things and make everything into a project. The Russians
seem to have a can-do, by God we'll make-it-work attitude toward their
projects. I'd be very surprised if the Russians didn't think the US
effort is a bit sissified, and I know that US engineers aren't
comfortable with the way the Russians tend to play things by ear. It's
not a matter of right or wrong, just the way cultures work--you can't
ignore it.
Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at chrisw@skypoint.com | this distance" (last words of Gen.
.......................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania1864)
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.8 : Mon Oct 27 2008 - 20:24:09 EDT