> A chainsaw without hand guard is a fine tool, and the blame is on whoever got their own arm chopped?
I think you are stretching it. Still, let's go with it.
I have done a ton of construction work in my life. From large projects at home ($200K-ish) to managing the build of a $12MM data center I designed. Because of this I have been around construction guys of all kinds and skill levels. And, of course, I have a lot of personal experience doing the work as well, from carpentry to just-about anything in a typical home or commercial project.
Anyhow, I always cringe when I see experienced construction guys work with modified tools that have had safeties removed to make the work go faster. One example of this was when I watched these guys cutting concrete blocks with a handheld grinder. They had removed the guard that typically covers half the blade. The entire blade was fully open and spinning at 10K+ RPM. When asked they said they'd been doing it this way for twenty years, it's faster, they can see the cut and control it far better. Still had all fingers.
Same is true of guys cutting framing lumber with circular saws or skillsaw's while propping-up the pieces with their bodies.
To me, someone with not even 10% of the experience they have, that was unthinkable. I would have lost fingers and limbs. I would have ended-up in the hospital almost instantly and possibly take others with me.
It's a relative term. Are the tools bad? Well, when experienced professionals can use them safely day in and out (this is their job, they've been doing it this way every day for twenty years), can we really blame the tool of I grab it and proceed to remove a finger or three?
No. Of course not. I know the American system of liability doesn't work that way, but that would be and should be 100% my fault for not having the experience necessary to approach such a thing safely.
It's the same thing, it doesn't matter if we are talking about coding, CNC machining or downhill skiing. Newbies love to blame the skis for what they did wrong, or the $150K CNC machine for crashing the $10K spindle into the table. It's never their fault. Sure.
I think you are stretching it. Still, let's go with it.
I have done a ton of construction work in my life. From large projects at home ($200K-ish) to managing the build of a $12MM data center I designed. Because of this I have been around construction guys of all kinds and skill levels. And, of course, I have a lot of personal experience doing the work as well, from carpentry to just-about anything in a typical home or commercial project.
Anyhow, I always cringe when I see experienced construction guys work with modified tools that have had safeties removed to make the work go faster. One example of this was when I watched these guys cutting concrete blocks with a handheld grinder. They had removed the guard that typically covers half the blade. The entire blade was fully open and spinning at 10K+ RPM. When asked they said they'd been doing it this way for twenty years, it's faster, they can see the cut and control it far better. Still had all fingers.
Same is true of guys cutting framing lumber with circular saws or skillsaw's while propping-up the pieces with their bodies.
To me, someone with not even 10% of the experience they have, that was unthinkable. I would have lost fingers and limbs. I would have ended-up in the hospital almost instantly and possibly take others with me.
It's a relative term. Are the tools bad? Well, when experienced professionals can use them safely day in and out (this is their job, they've been doing it this way every day for twenty years), can we really blame the tool of I grab it and proceed to remove a finger or three?
No. Of course not. I know the American system of liability doesn't work that way, but that would be and should be 100% my fault for not having the experience necessary to approach such a thing safely.
It's the same thing, it doesn't matter if we are talking about coding, CNC machining or downhill skiing. Newbies love to blame the skis for what they did wrong, or the $150K CNC machine for crashing the $10K spindle into the table. It's never their fault. Sure.