From posts on other forums, I know some people suffer the same affliction as I do. We can't read large symetrical blocks of text on a computer screen. I am not picking on the newbie that posted this, nor am I the forum sheriff, I am just asking for some consideration.
This is infinitely more readable to me:
I was experiencing this issue with the PSX breakers back in August of 2014 and contacted DCC Specialties directly. Here is their response:
"Don't turn the blocks on and off; leave them on. Here is what is happening. Most of today's decoders have fairly large filter (or hold up) capacitors to ensure reliable operation even with dirty track, unpowered frogs, etc.
When you turn off the block, this filter capacitor discharges. When you turn the block on, the discharged capacitor is a dead short across the rails and draws a large current.
As the capacitor charges up, this current decays exponentially. The PSX detects this high current spike and trips. Depending on the specific current draw of the engines involved and the size of the input filter capacitor, some combinations may generate enough surge current to trip the breaker and some may just sneak under the wire.
You may correctly note that when the breaker turns off after tripping, these capacitors will again discharge, so you might ask why when the breaker turns on again is doesn't simply trip? The answer is that after it trips, the breaker KNOWS that it is turning on and it is looking for this current surge. It has special software built in that allows it to monitor and control this surge so that it can turn on with a large number of decoder loads without tripping.
The difference is that you are imposing this start-up load AFTER the breaker is on so it does not know that it is a start-up load and it does its job of turning off to protect the layout. So, the simple answer is to stop turning these blocks on and off. If, for operational reasons, you need to do this, then the other method is to use the PSX to turn the block on and off.
If you do it this way, the PSX knows the block is coming on and will not allow the start-up surge current to trip it. By default, all PSX devices can be turned on and off using accessory address 2042. Accessory command 1 turns it on, and 2 turns it off.
Following the directions in the PSX manual, you can change this default address to any value between 1 and 2042. One other thing you can try is to set CV49 to 4. This will increase the trip current threshold to around 6 amps. It will still trip with a true short (the NCE can easily output more than 6 amperes for a short time), but by increasing the limit, you are somewhat defeating the reason for the breakers in the first place: to protect the layout from current spikes and overloads."
So as a workaround, I increased the number of PSX breakers from 4 to 7. I installed the additional three breakers where I often throw block switches and do not want interference with other operations.
For example, the engine terminal now has its own PSX so that throwing a block switch there won't interfere with a train running on the main line.
Than this
"Don't turn the blocks on and off; leave them on. Here is what is happening. Most of today's decoders have fairly large filter (or hold up) capacitors to ensure reliable operation even with dirty track, unpowered frogs, etc. When you turn off the block, this filter capacitor discharges. When you turn the block on, the discharged capacitor is a dead short across the rails and draws a large current. As the capacitor charges up, this current decays exponentially. The PSX detects this high current spike and trips. Depending on the specific current draw of the engines involved and the size of the input filter capacitor, some combinations may generate enough surge current to trip the breaker and some may just sneak under the wire. You may correctly note that when the breaker turns off after tripping, these capacitors will again discharge, so you might ask why when the breaker turns on again is doesn't simply trip? The answer is that after it trips, the breaker KNOWS that it is turning on and it is looking for this current surge. It has special software built in that allows it to monitor and control this surge so that it can turn on with a large number of decoder loads without tripping. The difference is that you are imposing this start-up load AFTER the breaker is on so it does not know that it is a start-up load and it does its job of turning off to protect the layout. So, the simple answer is to stop turning these blocks on and off. If, for operational reasons, you need to do this, then the other method is to use the PSX to turn the block on and off. If you do it this way, the PSX knows the block is coming on and will not allow the start-up surge current to trip it. By default, all PSX devices can be turned on and off using accessory address 2042. Accessory command 1 turns it on, and 2 turns it off. Following the directions in the PSX manual, you can change this default address to any value between 1 and 2042. One other thing you can try is to set CV49 to 4. This will increase the trip current threshold to around 6 amps. It will still trip with a true short (the NCE can easily output more than 6 amperes for a short time), but by increasing the limit, you are somewhat defeating the reason for the breakers in the first place: to protect the layout from current spikes and overloads."
So as a workaround, I increased the number of PSX breakers from 4 to 7. I installed the additional three breakers where I often throw block switches and do not want interference with other operations. For example, the engine terminal now has its own PSX so that throwing a block switch there won't interfere with a train running on the main line.
****************those of us who arent mulenials kant read the half page of run on sentents and your kwasi spelin not enuf verbs and jus kuz you use an eye phone is no xcuse
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I feel your pain, Henry, and do like shorter paragraphs and punctuations for clarity. And, while I do my utmost to work through posts where comments and ideas are a challenge to understand because of the above, a few posts - sadly - I have to give up on because it's mentally exhausting to make sense of them.
Thankfully, those are far and few between here on this forum. And poor spelling is MUCH more preferable to me than little to no punctuation.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
When I open a post and see that kind of writing my eyes glaze over and my mind breaker trips causing me to move on.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
― Mark Twain
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
The problem with relying on spellcheck is that it won't catch your mistake when you write "to" when you mean "too", or "your" when you mean "you're", or "there" when you mean "their".
Steve
Henry:
I absolutely agree!
I honestly am repulsed by posts that do exactly what you are describing in your second example, and I am unlikely to answer them.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
tstageI feel your pain, Henry, and do like shorter paragraphs and punctuations for clarity. And, while I do my utmost to work through posts where comments and ideas are a challenge to understand because of the above, a few posts - sadly - I have to give up on because it's mentally exhausting to make sense of them.
Eh? Try ancient Hebrew: All caps, all right to left, no vowles, no space between words. Not to mention funny characters.
And no, I have never tried it.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I'm still tackling Greek, Lion. Not ready for Hebrew yet.
Try German - we put all of that in 1 (one!) word! Well, that´s what a fellow named Samuel Langhorne Clemens said about the German language.
Yes, reading a long one text "paragraph" is harder to read,b ut some people post from their cell phones in one paragraph. When I use my phone to post here, I remember to use paragraphs apparently some may not know you CAN do paragraphs!
I am also dyslexic and that doesn't help as spell check here long ago eluded me,and it's a hassle to type into word then copy/paste here. I have tried to be better at making what looks sensical to me look sensical to others.
tstgage: I found greek relatively easy, thought the spelling of some of the longer words can be a hassle. Religion is forbidden but I think I can say I studied both newer and ancient greek in order to read "the Book" as it was originally written. If not, I could always say "it's all greek to me"!!!!
I have an aramaic Bible that belonged to my Serian-born grandfather. It is easy enough to read, even though R to L, but the gutteral pronounciations I have trouble with, and he is long ago no longer alive to teach me. If I want to learn hebrew, I know a good jewish lawyer { ;-) }.
Ulrich: one reason I can't understand so much of German-even with a German-born MIL {passed :-(}- IS the one-sentence-in-one-word phrases! I remember trying to help a friend in HS study her German and the phrase "a sunday afternoon's walk in the park" {or something like it} was aobut all one word !!
ah well, what you go, language arts is not an exact science sometimes....especially for some people.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
galaxyUlrich: one reason I can't understand so much of German-even with a German-born MIL {passed :-(}- IS the one-sentence-in-one-word phrases! I remember trying to help a friend in HS study her German and the phrase "a sunday afternoon's walk in the park" {or something like it} was aobut all one word !!
That´ll be "Sonntagsnachmittagsparkspaziergang"!
It is much easier to understand "LION".
ROAR, just about says it all.
Breakfast anyone?
ROAR
I'm a tech editor.
The Internet is an ongoing trauma for me.
NittanyLionThe Internet is an ongoing trauma for me.
what are the various shortcoming? There must be many
So, what's the problem?
As a devoted reader (and sometimes writer) of Science Fiction I have to contend with nouns that identify (but don't describe) some gadget or procedure that has yet to be invented. ("Madama Lady Belfrage checked the integrity of her formfit, took a deep breath and engaged her omnicar's J-drive...")
If I think things are getting too easy, I just reach up and to the right and pull down one of my reference volumes with the funny-looking characters down the spine. Open it, start at the top right and read down, then left. Solid block of characters, no spaces, little punctuation [and that not apparent as such - a phonetic ka may be part of a destroyer's name (HIJMS Akikaze) or a question mark.] A word might be one character, or several, possibly of two different kinds. Luckily, all are profusely illustrated.
Nihon-go, it's not for the linguistically challenged.
Chuck (Modeling Chu-o- Nihon, Kugatsu, Showa sanjukyunen - in its native language)
I agree. When I start to read a post with poor spelling, no punctuation, and no sentence structure, I usually move on to a different post. I do check where the poster is from though. If English is not their first language, I do my best to decipher it.
why make it difficult for the reader?
what should you do if the writer doesn't seem to care?
Wow what a bunch of elitists. I never knew so many of us could offend so many people who post here. For what? Spelling issues, run on sentences, etc.
This is a train forum not high school, we don't need posters criticisms on how other people write their post.
No wonder we don't have more people contributing here.
If you don't like the post for whatever reason, then pass it by and save the rest of us your condescending comments.
Some of us are right and some of us are wrong. Those who are right get to decided which is which.
Charlie
gregc NittanyLion The Internet is an ongoing trauma for me. what are the various shortcoming? There must be many
NittanyLion The Internet is an ongoing trauma for me.
At work, I just finished taking an 800 page document written largely by engineers, washed through review cycles with auditors at two different government agencies, and turning that into the language regular English-speaking humans use. I've had all sorts of training about plain language writing. It makes it difficult for me to watch football because they use...intentionally wordy phrases to eat time. Things like "the 35 yard line of the Pittsburgh Steelers" is the sorts of things they'll say, but plain language would be "the Pittsburgh Steelers 35 yard line." But, in the months right after I get done with my annual monster project, I can't turn it off. I proof EVERY. SINGLE. THING. I read. It drives me crazy. Most of the things people say online aren't...that bad, but its the things like the puncuation, incredibly bad spelling, or certain terms that I can't skip over without seeing. "Should of" is probably my single biggest annoyance. Should of? That doesn't even make sense! Should've, people, should've. Short for "should have." Gah!
G, here i thot my spelin an runin sentansez wer fine....
(Sorry, I just couldn't resist the temptation here... )
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
On more than one occasion people have been looking over my shoulder at my phone and ask me why my son always double text me. My answer is that I will not answer him unless he uses capitals and proper punctuation, so sometimes he has to resend his text corrected to get an answer.
He is in grade eleven and is certified bilingual in english and french and speaks spanish very well. He learned early that effort equals reward and he is free to put in as much effort and reap as much reward that goes along with it. He is being offered scholarships from universities around the world. I am lucky he got his mothers brains.
I am just a guy with a high school education and it probably shows sometimes, however it is usually pretty easy to tell the difference between those that have a hard time communicating because of the hand they were dealt in life and those that are just lazy. The former I will bend over backwards to help, however when I see a two hundred line paragraph with perfect spelling and no punctuation, I move on.
Whether you are answering a customer or asking for help, have enough courtesy to put an effort into your writing.
BigDaddyFrom posts on other forums, I know some people suffer the same affliction as I do. We can't read large symetrical blocks of text on a computer screen. I am not picking on the newbie that posted this, nor am I the forum sheriff, I am just asking for some consideration.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Thanks Bear. There are rules I can't cite off the top of my head about paragraphs, but I'm not talking about those. I'm saying 3-4 lines of text on a lap top then a space makes easy reading.
I've gone out of my way to help people, in other forums that when English is their second language or people who write in ALL CAPS because the have exteme vision problems and don't know the computer tricks to magnify or enlarge the printing on their screen.
I feel sorry for those who have been cheated by the public school system. Korean language does not have upper and lower case. I'm too old to learn Korean and I'm to old to learn text speak practiced by 8 year olds texting sitting next to each other in reading class, sending texts back and forth.
Elitist, no, grumpy old man who is not giving out blue ribbons for "participation", most definitely.
For someone writing in here, and not on a mobile device, the spell check doesn't work. I think it quit working back when this forum changed to a different format.
I'm not sure if that is the same for everyone, but I remember comments being made in here after the change. I use Fire Fox, and spell check in here, if it excists, doesn't work for me.
Mike.
My You Tube
as mentioned previously bad spelling i can put up with its the non punctuated non sentenced like this post that are much more difficult to decipher they go on and on and its difficult to determine where one thought begins and another starts like batman my eyes start to glaze over and i end up moving onto another thread rather than helping with the request sad but true elitism has nothing to do with it this post is a case in point
tomikawaTT So, what's the problem? As a devoted reader (and sometimes writer) of Science Fiction I have to contend with nouns that identify (but don't describe) some gadget or procedure that has yet to be invented. ("Madama Lady Belfrage checked the integrity of her formfit, took a deep breath and engaged her omnicar's J-drive...") If I think things are getting too easy, I just reach up and to the right and pull down one of my reference volumes with the funny-looking characters down the spine. Open it, start at the top right and read down, then left. Solid block of characters, no spaces, little punctuation [and that not apparent as such - a phonetic ka may be part of a destroyer's name (HIJMS Akikaze) or a question mark.] A word might be one character, or several, possibly of two different kinds. Luckily, all are profusely illustrated. Nihon-go, it's not for the linguistically challenged. Chuck (Modeling Chu-o- Nihon, Kugatsu, Showa sanjukyunen - in its native language)
BigDaddyFrom posts on other forums, I know some people suffer the same affliction as I do. We can't read large symetrical blocks of text on a computer screen.
I'll just say, any post that is a "wall of text" will usually get skipped over by me. As you noted, its hard to read so you are not alone at all.
Anyone who wants people to read theyr post should have the foresight to break up there posts into small blocks to make it readable. Otherwise, expect many people to ignore it and skip over.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
rrebell tomikawaTT So, what's the problem? As a devoted reader (and sometimes writer) of Science Fiction I have to contend with nouns that identify (but don't describe) some gadget or procedure that has yet to be invented. ("Madama Lady Belfrage checked the integrity of her formfit, took a deep breath and engaged her omnicar's J-drive...") What is scary is I fully understood your short exerpt of SF.
tomikawaTT So, what's the problem? As a devoted reader (and sometimes writer) of Science Fiction I have to contend with nouns that identify (but don't describe) some gadget or procedure that has yet to be invented. ("Madama Lady Belfrage checked the integrity of her formfit, took a deep breath and engaged her omnicar's J-drive...")
What is scary is I fully understood your short exerpt of SF.
Okay:
Define:
Dame Sally, Lady Belfrage, holds what rank in the peerage of which planet? (Extra points for defining her exact relationship to the reigning monarch.)
Which of the lady's close associates is a 37th century model railroader? I have mentioned this on the forum, so you should know it.
As for what he models, check my signature...
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - writing about the Confederation Universe circa 3626)
Wiliam Caxton (1474) began to use three forms of punctuation in written theological texts, and it soon caught on. From there, paragraphs, bullets, and other forms of organizing thought, but with a mind to presenting it in more intelligible and comprehensive forum (more 'readable'), soon followed. This type of formatting has stood the test for nearly 600 years and is still the style demanded in instututions where complex thinking, analysis, and rhetoric are widely used to convey and to construct ideas.
Then, there is the common expression used orally. They are quite different. There is a substantial gulf between what people over 50 think should be written simply because that's how we express ourselves on fora, and what the modern multi-tasking, texting, and social media-gulping youth of today use for expression. Naturally, this is bound to cause a bit of friction, with the inevitable eruption of discontent following soon thereafter...almost always from the older folks who can't keep up with the modern form.
BTW, about multi-tasking; it's a myth. The late Professor Clifford Nass from Stanford studied this at some length shortly before his death and found that the only people who can come close to real multi-tasking are those who swear they've never bothered to try it. They come close for a short period before they begin to suffer the error rates and distractions that those inveterate multi-taskers, the self-avowed, do.