T3D Re: Deering spreadsheet

[Tom Deering <tmd@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 10/14/98, john bercovitz wrote:
>Dr. T suggested, regarding Tom's (or any MAOFD) spreadsheet:
>
>> 1. Use mm for the stereo base, not inches.
>
>I think the inch version is going to be great for most Marekins
>but I agree it would be nice to have a metric version in addition
>to the inch version for the rest of the world which may well have
>the majority of the stereo shooters.  I should also make an inch
>version of my maofd spreadsheets.

I use millimeters myself.  But this spreadsheet was designed for ordinary
people, and since it seems like Americans predominate, I made up the
spreadsheet to suit them.

I assume those who are no longer beginners can multiply by 25.4, or modify
the spreadsheet to perform this simple conversion.  Hardly difficult for
the non-beginner.

>> 3. Use red for any solution with under 67% overlap.
>
>You know, the original maofd is so loaded with doodads that I didn't
>want to add any more to it.  You just changed my mind.  I think the
>non-overlap situation won't come up often but when it does, I sure
>don't want to mislead anyone.  Thank you for pointing this out in a
>way that I finally understood.  Much appreciated.

Not to belabor the point, but these spreadsheets were designed for
BEGINNERS.  The strong point is simplicity.  Adding more features means
adding more concepts and more explanations, which the beginner may find
confusing.  Besides, it is really hard to imagine a beginner attempting the
wild example George made up.

I find it amusing that George requires such numerical perfection.  It seems
like only yesterday he was publicly claiming that the 1/30 rule worked just
fine for macros.  If that's the case, perhaps his interest in my little
spreadsheet is purely academic.

Cheers,

Tom



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End of TECH-3D Digest 387
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