Is EEVBlog worth it

[DrG]

My answer is no.

I've been looking at this blog for a few weeks now. Dave's video's are entertaining but as soon as it gets complicated he either fudges the details or gets in wrong. My opinion is that he is not a real engineer. He never answers questions regarding his formal training, though he often claims in interviews that he has formal training. In my opinion,  often dispenses fake information.

The "advice" dispensed by the members of this blog is useless. Rather read credible books on engineering or study at an accredited university than reading the junk "advice" on this blog.

Will you allow a "doctor" without the proper credentials to operate on your brain? If you would, then happily continue reading this blog and watch Dave's videos.

Worth what? Your time? Your money? Your pride?

Your arguments in this thread lack specificity and, taken together, suggest to me that you are simply pissed off more than anything else. That is, you are angry...about something specific that has happened (even if it is was the "last straw"), but you are not going to go into that, at least not at first, but clearly you want to litigate your issues online.

I did take the time to go through your posting history to some extent and it seems that you did not act like you felt this way initially (you no longer recommend those videos to your students - so you did recommend those videos at some earlier time), but have now reached a conclusion and it is a global conclusion full of ad hominum attacks.

In fact, while I did not see much in the way of you asking for help, you have dispensed help - that you now condemn ("The "advice" dispensed by the members of this blog is useless."), yet, you have not just said your peace and left. Instead, you very much want to engage on the issues as evidenced by your additional posting in the thread.

It is, in some ways, unfortunate as your posting demonstrates that you teach. It also demonstrates, to me, a level of bureaucratic experience that may be taking its toll (you are still pissed enough to mention that your employer "forced you to do that") so many years ago. Taking its toll because your behavior suggests that you no longer appreciate the concept of near-peer mentorship (it is not just age-based) at any level through any media.

Even in your short posting history you are seeking acknowledgement for both your stature and your "solutions" - see the beginners thread in which you were, oh so critical, about what 'level' of answer should be given to a high school student vs a university student and so on - but nothing in the way of "agree to disagree" after making a point (and you most definitely did make a point, but it is not what I will remember about you and that memory will fade in a few days, if not a few hours). You don't seem capable of "agree to disagree" after making a point. You seem too pig-headed to see that such an issue is up for debate, that such an issue is not new and that educators in all fields deal with that kind of issue. In this regard, you have demonstrated a starkly disappointing insufficiency for self-evaluation.

I don't need to defend anyone here, but hear this well, this Dave guy has pissed me off a couple of times (never about EE matters) and I spoke my peace...and I did not back down...and then I continued...hopefully to make some helpful contributions to others seeking help and also to seek help myself.

Plenty of what is written will piss me off, especially when it is my area and is so terribly misinformed. That is how you feel now. When it is too much, I simply block those people so I don't see their rabble and don't ever respond to their rabble.

One piece of "food for thought" (and I suspect this will piss you off further) that I will give you is to ask yourself whether you should seek therapy on a public internet forum. Just as you yearn for everybody to go to the standard educational sources exclusively for EE information, and medical doctors for brain surgery, why not apply that to your anger?

So, I ask rhetorically (in this case. that means that I don't care much about your response and we both know that you desperately want to respond) - what is it you are after? I believe that what you seek is validation and you are likely not going to get what you seek here and now. Don't you get that?

[james_s]

It's worth considerably more than the $0 I pay so yeah, I think it's worth it. The forum is effectively the local pub I hang out at and chat with similar minded folks. If you don't enjoy it here nobody is forcing you to stick around, go find somewhere you like better.

[Algoma]

I'm a Network Engineer, trying to learn a bit more of the foundations of the technology I work with every day. I absolutely believe the EEVBlog forum membership has been worthwhile for everyone involved. And membership is freely open to everyone to learn, share and ask questions Beginners, Experts, Professionals and hobbyists alike.

[Trader]

My answer is no.

I've been looking at this blog for a few weeks now. Dave's video's are entertaining but as soon as it gets complicated he either fudges the details or gets in wrong. My opinion is that he is not a real engineer. He never answers questions regarding his formal training, though he often claims in interviews that he has formal training. In my opinion,  often dispenses fake information.

The "advice" dispensed by the members of this blog is useless. Rather read credible books on engineering or study at an accredited university than reading the junk "advice" on this blog.

Will you allow a "doctor" without the proper credentials to operate on your brain? If you would, then happily continue reading this blog and watch Dave's videos.

EEVblog is a RELIGION, just check how many people gave Thanks for the langwadt's post "you can leave anytime you want" > "The following users thanked this post: TheBay, joeqsmith, Ian.M, rstofer, MasterTech, pqass, alexnoot" and soon will be more people, LOL.

There are a lot of fanatic and egocentric people here that love to show how smart they are, but this is just the Real World, and if you check other big forums, like the "diyAudio", is the same, EE people are not so friendly, neither humble.

The only thing I have to say about Dave is that he is a Focused, Clever, and Crazy Electronics Hobbyist. And AFAIK, one of the few people that Really Make Money with electronics, I think he makes close to 7 figures per year from multiple sources, and he doesn't need to buy almost anything, the big companies just open the legs for him.

About the EEVblog forum, it's good, I'll rate it as 3 (from 1 to 5), the main problem is the super-long threads with more than 20, 50, 100 pages that you have to read to try to understand that issue, but this is a problem related to the Blog Format, not Dave.

Try to be positive, you can enjoy reading some posts here, and learning something useful (except making money). 

[Nusa]

How much do you pay for EEVBLOG? If it's too much, stop buying it. That is all.

[andy3055]

My answer is no.

I've been looking at this blog for a few weeks now. Dave's video's are entertaining but as soon as it gets complicated he either fudges the details or gets in wrong. My opinion is that he is not a real engineer. He never answers questions regarding his formal training, though he often claims in interviews that he has formal training. In my opinion,  often dispenses fake information.

The "advice" dispensed by the members of this blog is useless. Rather read credible books on engineering or study at an accredited university than reading the junk "advice" on this blog.

Will you allow a "doctor" without the proper credentials to operate on your brain? If you would, then happily continue reading this blog and watch Dave's videos.

Am I to understand that you learnt everything you know about the subjects you know from your university education?
If so, what made you want to come to a forum like this? Is it to further your knowledge and intelligence from others who may have gone through the mill and have real life experience or just to find a place to criticize others? Nobody asked you to join or for your opinion about this forum. So, I would respectfully ask you to leave the rest of us and the forum. Just get the hell out of here. End of story. Have peace.

[fourtytwo42]

I think EEVblog is great, as a retired engineer with several patents to my name and a long business career it keeps me in touch with what fellow enthusiasts are into and doing, if I can help I chip in but I am usually beaten by others. Whenever I have been stumped by something a quick question here gets some really useful other insights, so no I completely disagree with the OP and as others have said if you don't like it bugger off!

[eti]

Everyone has a right to an opinion, fair enough. Don't expect this well advance you very far, though. Dave is a highly regarded, very nice natured (sometimes ranty, hehe) and respected chap, and he's worked very hard and still does. If you want a paper degree, sign up to an online course and get one, or at your local university.

I respect your right to a viewpoint, and thus, you must respect the right to maybe some of us thinking you're having an off day, and need your "reset" button pressing to restore normal mental balance

[Ed.Kloonk]

OP appears to be typical academic wingnut. How about you show us how to youtube? You know, build an audience not just profess to a captive one.

I'll bet something said on Dave's twitter caused some triggering.

[langwadt]

My answer is no.

I've been looking at this blog for a few weeks now. Dave's video's are entertaining but as soon as it gets complicated he either fudges the details or gets in wrong. My opinion is that he is not a real engineer. He never answers questions regarding his formal training, though he often claims in interviews that he has formal training. In my opinion,  often dispenses fake information.

The "advice" dispensed by the members of this blog is useless. Rather read credible books on engineering or study at an accredited university than reading the junk "advice" on this blog.

Will you allow a "doctor" without the proper credentials to operate on your brain? If you would, then happily continue reading this blog and watch Dave's videos.

EEVblog is a RELIGION, just check how many people gave Thanks for the langwadt's post "you can leave anytime you want"

quite a few religions where "leave anytime you want" is not really an option

[james_s]

If eevblog is a religion then so is the corner pub. Imagine you're sitting in there nursing a pint and chatting with the guys around you. Someone walks in and starts loudly and bitterly complaining about what a terrible pub it is, the beer is overpriced, the food is terrible, the seats are uncomfortable and it's just not worth it. Somebody pipes up "You know, you can leave any time you want!" I expect they'd get a fair amount of applause and I fail to see what this has to do with religion. If you like it here stick around, if you don't like it then leave, what exactly do you hope to gain by complaining about it?

[Trader]

EEVblog is a RELIGION, just check how many people gave Thanks for the langwadt's post "you can leave anytime you want"

quite a few religions where "leave anytime you want" is not really an option

It's a SECT. 

[james_s]

Yes, you need the license to put your stamp on plans, where said plans are required to be stamped--and it is mostly state laws that regulate that.  There are PE mechanical engineers as well, for things like refineries and generating plants.  But people designing toasters and automobiles aren't state-regulated, there are other agencies for that.

My dad was a PE mechanical engineer, he spent many years designing boilers for pulp mills and power plants. I don't think I've ever worked with an EE that was a PE.

[ANTALIFE]

[Simon]

My answer is no.

I've been looking at this blog for a few weeks now. Dave's video's are entertaining but as soon as it gets complicated he either fudges the details or gets in wrong. My opinion is that he is not a real engineer. He never answers questions regarding his formal training, though he often claims in interviews that he has formal training. In my opinion,  often dispenses fake information.

The "advice" dispensed by the members of this blog is useless. Rather read credible books on engineering or study at an accredited university than reading the junk "advice" on this blog.

Will you allow a "doctor" without the proper credentials to operate on your brain? If you would, then happily continue reading this blog and watch Dave's videos.

So what are your credentials that allow you to write off the whole 10+ years of Daves work and apparently every member on here - good luck oh mighty one, I'm here all week, and the week after that, and the week after that........

[Gyro]

I can't find the thread now, but didn't Dave get Chartered sometime in the last couple of years?

[Trader]

I'm here all week, and the week after that, and the week after that........

You need to be here to do an Invasive and Repetitive Advertising of your store in 16153+ (counting) posts.

[Trader]

I can't find the thread now, but didn't Dave get Chartered sometime in the last couple of years?

Dave Johns never entered in to any university.
He got degree of general electronics from technical college name unknown.
He worked as trainee in to a company which did electronics design, for a short period and he got fired.
As soon he got fired he started the Blog.
7-years ago the Australian company closed down.
And Dave is making 7-figures/year now.

[Ed.Kloonk]

So much misinformation there.

[bdunham7]

Dave Johns never entered in to any university.
He got degree of general electronics from technical college name unknown.
He worked as trainee in to a company which did electronics design, for a short period and he got fired.
As soon he got fired he started the Blog.
7-years ago the Australian company closed down.
And Dave is making 7-figures/year now.

If that's all true, then good for him!

[EEVblog]

Please show me how a one Ounce PCB can shied a magnetic field with a frequency of 25 kHz. Then I will take you seriously.

We are now narrowing down the things he's butt hurt about.
The magnetic shielding video and the LED video.
Let's make a comprehensive list, this is fun!

[Ed.Kloonk]

Let's make a comprehensive list, this is fun!

I don't like your haircut.

[EEVblog]

About the EEVblog forum, it's good, I'll rate it as 3 (from 1 to 5), the main problem is the super-long threads with more than 20, 50, 100 pages that you have to read to try to understand that issue, but this is a problem related to the Blog Format, not Dave.

That's just the (unfortunate?) fact of every forum, they are discussion forums. The only way to get around that is to currate info Wikipedia style. But they are two entirely different thing with different goals.

[thm_w]

I did take the time to go through your posting history to some extent and it seems that you did not act like you felt this way initially (you no longer recommend those videos to your students - so you did recommend those videos at some earlier time), but have now reached a conclusion and it is a global conclusion full of ad hominum attacks.

If OP was recommending specific videos to their students and did not vet the information within then that is entirely on them.
I would never recommend entire blogs/youtube channels if I were a teacher, as the content varies so much. Only mention specific ones where relevant to the class (eg here is a good opamp tutorial video or whatever).

[Trader]

About the EEVblog forum, it's good, I'll rate it as 3 (from 1 to 5), the main problem is the super-long threads with more than 20, 50, 100 pages that you have to read to try to understand that issue, but this is a problem related to the Blog Format, not Dave.

That's just the (unfortunate?) fact of every forum, they are discussion forums. The only way to get around that is to currate info Wikipedia style. But they are two entirely different thing with different goals.

Yes, I also thought about the Wiki format, but actually, there are other options, something like Stackoverflow, still a discussion forum, but the most relevant posts appear first, and rated.