Re: really bad wiring jobs

Rick F. <rickf@xxxxxxxx> wrote in part:
On 2007-04-21, BernieM <berniem@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Just thought I'd share this ... really bad wiring jobs ...

http://thrillingwonder.blogspot.com/2007/03/really-bad-wiring-jobs_20.html

Egads.. I'm no cable installer, but those people that did
that didn't even try to make anything neat-n-tidy..

Defend the indefensible?

As with everything, there are two sides to the story.
And the non-obvious one is usually more insightful.

On a very fundamental electromagnetic basis, neat is bad
for communications wiring. Parallel conductors crosstalk.
I'd expect this was a major concern for Cray-1.

On an equally fundamental economic basis, maintenance
is more expensive and messier than new construction.
Most of the "bad examples" weren't constructed that way,
but got that way over time and required changes.

Neat systems aren't necessarily more maintainable. Wires are
bundled and dressed short. Have to be cut and abandoned.
WHat really matters is good labelling at all ends.

An old-timer told me the mess in telco closets was to keep all
the mess in one spot. There will be mess. Change makes it.
You'd rather field crossovers? If it ever gets so bad that someone
is willing to pay for neatness, you just get/make the map and tear
out all the crossconnect. My kids were young, and I just though of
Maria Montessori's "A creative mess is better than tidy idleness."

-- Robert
.

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