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mbell | 4 years ago

"Any idiot can build a bridge that stands, but it takes an engineer to build a bridge that barely stands."

- Someone

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int0x2e|4 years ago

Your quote is better, but for people that have a hard time with that analogy, I like using the example of building a 4-story concrete/brick building - anyone can make a building stand strong by filling it with concrete / bricks. It takes precise engineering to know how thin you can make the walls/supports to make that building worth building.

filmor|4 years ago

If you just mindlessly fill everything with bricks and concrete, you likely need to make the lower walls thicker than the upper ones to support the weight...

The whole engineering process can be done without ever looking at the budget as long as the framework is given ("use these materials", "you have this much space").

ahartmetz|4 years ago

With different constraints...

"The perfect race car crosses the finish line first and then completely disintegrates"

- Ferdinand Porsche

(I took some liberty with the translation - the idea is that everything breaks at the same time.)

asmithmd1|4 years ago

"An engineer can do for a dime, what any idiot can do for a dollar" - Someone else

[edit] Achshually "An engineer can do for a dollar what any fool can do for two" - Arthur C. Wellington