An Epitaph

[Geof]

I was perusing past posts and found this:

IN a sense, to share/resurrect some of the past. Oh, aNd to pick on the "kids".

I grew up in a period of engineering when you were expected to KNOW how to solve problems. I had whitewall haircut, pocket liner, slide rule carrying bosses who put you thru an inquisition when it came to design reviews. The better you were prepared before you asked a "stupid questjion", which they had no hesitation in pointing out to you, the less you'd feel the wrath of the managing "gods".

Survived it and got GOOD raises as long as the hard asses were there. Came to the point I thrived in it. When they passed on, literally, some new "kindlyier and friendlier" bosses cam along and the old didn't meld with the new.

I never did lose the old ways - they serve me too well and actually forced me to mvoe on where I thrived even more. Poor bedside manner but the stuff I engineered WORKED.

However one evening, many jobs later, I got the ultimate compliment in my life over my old school ways of teaching and demanding performance from my "students'.

We're at a Christmas dinner and this one kid who I really picked on, came up and thanked me. He thanked me for being an a$$hole to him during the various traning semindars I put on that he attended. Slightly amazed I asked "why?"

"simple, because iirate customers are worse than you ever are/were. WHen that sort of things happened, I'd ask myself 'what would NC do/ask/say?' and it would usually calm the guy down and we could then reason things out".

I was never so humbled in my life.

SO to the newbies I often rant off on, take it for what it is, a voice/personality out of the past just trying to get you to think and reason for yourself. My students have pretey much always rose to the occasion when push came to shove and even thrived under pressure. IT was usually less than I put them thru....GRIN.

I almost died last January, Had that happened, my legacy would have been my well intended rants on the Zone.


Many of you will guess the author, this post was in Why do you visit CNCzone.

He was correct, his legacy is his rants here; RIP, NC Cams.

[Kipper]

He went too young!

Every time I look at specifying a bearing I think of him

You could say he left an impression

[Cruiser]

This is the first I'd heard of NC Cams having to move on ! I had respect for what he had to say, as he was, as far as I know, Correct !
The older we get the more we seem to notice how many are moving on !

[ViperTX]

Yep, NC Cams and his rants are dearly missed!

Paul

[123CNC]

I happened to read the thread on why do you come to the CNCZONE, and reading NC Cams post made the same thought cross my mind as Geof has posted here.

It also made me think that NC Cams is one of the many good reasons why I continued to come back to the CNCZone. His post were often abrasive to some, but usually useful, insightful and informative to all.

I never dare poked the bear, but absolutely enjoyed reading some of the carnage. I hope those put off by the delivery didn't miss the message.

Another thought that occurred to me when reading earlier this year of NC's passing, was that at a minimum it would be useful and perhaps fun to hold a CNCZone awards ceremony. Not so much anything official or red carpet or Hollywood, more a people's choice award via nominations followed by a poll or voting.

I would like to nominate NC Cams and Geof for valuable contributions to the community, (not just CNC or machining community either).

Do I hear a second or other nominees?

[123CNC]

I would also like to nominate Khalid and N4NV.

[123CNC]

Almost forgot, Al the Man. His moniker alone might make him a clincher.

[martinw]

Dear 123CNC,

I would nominate anybody who does attempt to play golf.

Best wishes,

Martin

[Geof]

I belatedly realised that I should have given this link to the thread started by tobyaxis:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76455

I am sure cruiser is not the only one that missed it.


It is funny in a way that the biggest strength of CNCzone, its enormous diversity and number of contributors, is also its weakness; things go down the list so fast that if you are absent for even a day you can completely miss something.

[mc-motorsports]

Originally Posted by Geof I belatedly realised that I should have given this link to the thread started by tobyaxis: http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76455

I read that post and realised I would never meet Dennis. I had an open invite for a shop visit and lunch, very shortly after, he passed. And I can tell you for sure, he was not ready to go, he did not plan on dying young, the lord had other plans for him.

I never found Dennis as abrasive, outspoken, yes. I would speak my thoughts and idea's, and he would correct me in his own way. He had a way of making people think, and did well at rattling cages when needed.

2 things I know of Dennis, he made a lot of typo's, and he was a welth of knowledge.

MC