Comments on: S-Tronic - In Control? http://blog.soapyfrog.com/2008/07/26/s-tronic-in-control/ curry-induced ramblings of a forty-something techie Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:36:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Adrian http://blog.soapyfrog.com/2008/07/26/s-tronic-in-control/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Adrian Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:05:18 +0000 http://blog.soapyfrog.com/?p=60#comment-102 Fair comment, although even with a modern manual you've got synchromesh, rev-limiters, power-assisted steering and brakes. I don't think I'll ever go down the path of the torque converter though - that's an instrument of pure evil. Interesting question on where to draw the line. I can go full auto, esp, traction control, but choose not to when I want involvement. I can use cruise control, but choose not to, although it can be amusing to use it in slow city traffic :-) I can turn my lights and wipers on manually when it's dark/rains, but ... ah, actually, I never do that manually.. I suppose it's nice to have choice. Fair comment, although even with a modern manual you’ve got synchromesh, rev-limiters, power-assisted steering and brakes.

I don’t think I’ll ever go down the path of the torque converter though - that’s an instrument of pure evil.

Interesting question on where to draw the line.

I can go full auto, esp, traction control, but choose not to when I want involvement.

I can use cruise control, but choose not to, although it can be amusing to use it in slow city traffic :-)

I can turn my lights and wipers on manually when it’s dark/rains, but … ah, actually, I never do that manually..

I suppose it’s nice to have choice.

]]> By: Piggles http://blog.soapyfrog.com/2008/07/26/s-tronic-in-control/comment-page-1/#comment-101 Piggles Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:30:39 +0000 http://blog.soapyfrog.com/?p=60#comment-101 This is all very well, but do you see driving as a skill or a utility? If you wish to create music, you can buy a bontempi organ which, with a few button presses, can provide chords and backing to any tune you see fit to play, yet if you purchase a steinway piano, you get none of this, but a _much_ better end result (if you have the skill). The smart guy uses a hammer to bash in the nails rather than his hand, but where do you draw the line between letting the machine do it and taking control yourself? This is all very well, but do you see driving as a skill or a utility? If you wish to create music, you can buy a bontempi organ which, with a few button presses, can provide chords and backing to any tune you see fit to play, yet if you purchase a steinway piano, you get none of this, but a _much_ better end result (if you have the skill). The smart guy uses a hammer to bash in the nails rather than his hand, but where do you draw the line between letting the machine do it and taking control yourself?

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