Yeah, and at the time this weakness was in a way a learning opportunity that may have been more valuable than the formal play the console offered.
It provided a safe way to learn about design and manufacturing techniques during disassembly and hypothesis testing re: how does it work?
It provided lessons in materials science and chemistry: "On TV, the Superglue held that construction guy in midair attached only by a small dot of glue between his hardhat and the steel girder above him. Why won't it hold the plastic ring together? Why is duct tape somewhat better if you don't mind frequent reapplication?"
Engineering: "The joystick-ring-switch mechanism is something like the levers we have to calculate mechanical advantage on at school. If so, there is a comparatively huge moment on the tip of the joystick compared to the plastic ring."
There were also some global macroeconomic principles in there that we were too naive to appreciate, but in our defense, most of our parents didn't appreciate the change that was coming either.
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"Simmons Fracture": https://www.atarimagazines.com/v5n1/repairjoystick.html
Yeah, and at the time this weakness was in a way a learning opportunity that may have been more valuable than the formal play the console offered.
It provided a safe way to learn about design and manufacturing techniques during disassembly and hypothesis testing re: how does it work?
It provided lessons in materials science and chemistry: "On TV, the Superglue held that construction guy in midair attached only by a small dot of glue between his hardhat and the steel girder above him. Why won't it hold the plastic ring together? Why is duct tape somewhat better if you don't mind frequent reapplication?"
Engineering: "The joystick-ring-switch mechanism is something like the levers we have to calculate mechanical advantage on at school. If so, there is a comparatively huge moment on the tip of the joystick compared to the plastic ring."
There were also some global macroeconomic principles in there that we were too naive to appreciate, but in our defense, most of our parents didn't appreciate the change that was coming either.