WhoseGeneration wrote:Alasdair, you might need to consider adding some conditions to the posting terms.
Forums I'm on where safety critical stuff is discussed, will require that a poster is qualified to post. Electrical installations are one such example.
With regard to TripleS's problem, I could comment but I'm not officially qualified so can't.
Plus, Mr C-W is describing but one, rarely used these days, system of earthing, so, from afar, it's best not to comment and TripleS would be best to consult an electrician.
I think that is reasonable where a forum is focused on such things - but I think it is also reasonable to expect all users of an online forum to realise that they need to decide how to take advice they see online - after all, we spend our time talking about and giving advice on driving, which probably kills more people each year than earthing straps... if old enough to be doing dangerous things - then you are old enough to make a considered judgement on what you read, if not - please check with Mummy or Daddy first
- besides you should be at school / having your nap / in bed (I do realise that some of those might also apply to regular members!)
more seriously, we have become so fixated on regulation / certification / qualification / etc. in our country that there is now a belief that somehow you are only qualified to have an opinion if you have a bit of paper - one of the great things about this forum is the obvious skills with no paper to back it up - here we discuss matters based on the logic behind them / based as far as possible on first principles - not based on 'I have a qualification therefore this is the only way to do it' - that is the antithesis of what we are about - and so, as far as I am concerned, the same applies to other discussions on here, if what you say is logical & right, it shouldn't matter whether you are 'officially qualified' that is only about liability etc. and there is no liability in a discussion online, the recipient of the advice makes the choice on what advice to follow
Alasdair