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Engineering Courses Versus Public Forums.....

"Todd, not to disagree with you on this point, but I think that we should clarify one subject. When we take college courses, there are generally prerequisites that are required before one can take the class. Why? Well, because it is almost impossible to effectively teach people who are not up to the technical level of the class, because they do not have the background for it. It is the same with technical discussions here (once in a while)."

I could not disagree more. The purpose of the prerequisites in college courses are to make sure the available openings to take the course are filled with people who are least-likely to waste those spaces in the form of flunked results or diminished expectations. It is also to prevent a possible slowdown in the teaching of the material because time is limited within the quarter or semester.

In the case of this forum and others like it, there is no time constraint or limitation of space. If one doesn't know the material but wants to learn, we just need to be patient and keep a smile. Do whatever it takes. The more people learn, the better decisions they make in choosing audio components.

I cannot speak for others, but I personally get as much appreciative feedback from technical explanations as I do component or music recommendations. For it often translates into better decisions for those acquiring audio equipment.

"Of course, if one is a really good teacher and well understands the material, then a larger audience can be taught, but I for one, would not want to try to teach partial differential equations to someone who had not taken calculus."

I'd teach the calculus first.... He might then realize he may not be interested in going further into diff eqs.

"How about deriving the fundamental differential equation for a direct radiator loudspeaker as shown by Rice and Kellog in 1925 when they invented it? Anyone for dot notation?"

I'll pass. I really think deriving technical equations does not accomplish a thing (aside from exhibiting mathematical skills) if the concept behind the derivation is not understood. I once took a physics course where such frivolity was a primary requisite for course passage, and I thought it was a big turn-off. For after I finished the course, I thought I didn't learn anything qualitatively about the science.
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