I am somewhat lost...I thought mechanical meant something that operates without electric?? some of the entries have me really confused. Is it just me?
by the way, some are just awesome!
Something that's mechanical is mechanical, whether it's motive power comes from electricity, steam, internal combustion, turbine, etc.
The injunction against using something "using electronics as a means of operation" as a subject does not, IMO, rule out things that are primarily mechnical but get thier motive power from an electric motor.
while i haven't seen all the challenge entries yet, just want to say let's not forget to make the distinction between electric and electronic at times. they can be different. a computer is electronics and uses electricity. a lamp however, uses electricity but might not be considered "electronic". maybe i'm wrong, but that's my interpretation. i hope i haven't referred to any entries in particular.
Mechanical fixings = Screws Nuts bolts,
Mechanical movement = hinges, bearings, pinions, races, pistons, etc
there are also mechanical drives based on helix screws, cams, gears etc
all of the above are mechanical but not all of these use a motive power from electricity, steam, wind water........ etc
I know that if you have to connect anything to an electrical source, you get electrons to flow, no matter if it is computer or a lamp. I have voted on some of the photos and pass by any that do not meet the objective of the challenge. IMHO, any device that has electric wires connected to it is electro-mechanical.
I know that if you have to connect anything to an electrical source, you get electrons to flow...IMHO, any device that has electric wires connected to it is electro-mechanical.
Car engine... dc battery cables... auto mechanic? I can see another side to the debate. As a result, I would tend to give entries the benefit of a doubt, even if it isn't one I would have entered myself. Just me.
I took the limitation to mean you couldn't shoot hi-tech electronics and components thereof; anything solid-state basically, as your subject. I'd consider a subway train to be "mechanical" for the purposes of this challenge. And I'd consider the SuperTrains to be mechanical too, despite that their operation is utterly dependent upon computer interfaces with the mechanical elements.
For me, the more interesting aspect was the introduction of the idea of the human form as "mechanical" in nature. This took some getting used to, one had tended to discount out-of-hand the possibility of biological challenge entries. But when you think of it, a skeleton is a purely mechanical structure, "designed" for the support, protection, and locomotion of living, soft-tissue flesh. We see the use of the human body in such a sense in several entries. Oddly enough, as far as I can tell, we have NO shots of, say, a grasshoppers leg structure, which surely is an extremely graphic mechanical form.
I thought about shooting a diesel engine which is completely mechanical -- it doesn't even rely on electricity for spark, but I figured people would down-vote it.
A gasoline engine for example, I wouldn't have entered because it does rely on spark plugs for operation -- there isn't any denying that...I haven't gotten a chance to vote yet, with this packing to move and all...but I'm really trying to make the time.
i didn't enter the challenge myself, but i undertook bear's interpretation. i don't think the description ruling out "electronics" really pertains to, as in my previous example, a lamp (although the only potentially mechanical thing hear i could think of would be the little switch that you rotate in circles to turn it on). if someone says "electronics", i doubt most people would file a lamp or older fashioned iron under this category, even though they require electricity.
To me any internal combustion engine before a certain year would qualify but a current (deisel or gas) one most likely doesn't because of the computer controller.
For me, there is certainly a difference between electrical and electronic.
But then Tesla invented radio without using vacum tubes. I guess the picture is the importent thing on dpchallenge, eh?
A practical differentiaion is that if the flow of electricity makes a physical object move (e.g. electric motor) it is electric or electro-mechanical. If the current alters the subsequent flow of another current (amplifiers, semiconductors, etc.) it is electronic.
When the current changes the state of the conductor it kind of depends on whether the effect is desired or not: resistive heating is desirable in an electric heater, but a dangerous byproduct of electronic components -- why your computer has a heat-sink on the (electronic) processor and (probably) an (electric) fan in the cabinet.
In any event, DO NOT recommend any photo for DQ because it involves electricity in some way -- we will not DQ on that basis.
I am new. And I need to find out how to make my photo bigger next time. In the submission guidelines it wouldnt allow me to post anything bigger then the thumbnail I submitted.. Sucks too, cause this was an excellent photo, and people deducted me simply because the photo was so small.
If I had more time, I was going to paint my son to look like he had wooden joints and a long nose, maybe even add strings. Some voters would pummel me for it, but I bet I'd get a lot of comments. ;-)
I am new. And I need to find out how to make my photo bigger next time. In the submission guidelines it wouldnt allow me to post anything bigger then the thumbnail I submitted.. Sucks too, cause this was an excellent photo, and people deducted me simply because the photo was so small.
If I had more time, I was going to paint my son to look like he had wooden joints and a long nose, maybe even add strings. Some voters would pummel me for it, but I bet I'd get a lot of comments. ;-)
I wouldn't be so sure - your feet entry did quite well!
