[foxboro] Some things to talk about

Hey everybody,

Once again I'm preparing to moderate an open users group forum for 
thecassandraproject at the Dallas users group meeting.  This will be 
much more informal than last year, which was not what I was 
after.  Although I did totally rock!   (This year, it's in a smaller 
room, and I've been promised an open bar for us, more like old times, 
so you can talk & drink more.)

I'd like to open up the discussion on this list prior to the meeting 
in hopes that some of you who can't attend will share your thoughts.

Here's what I would like to know your thoughts on...

1) I'm very interested in the state of the process control 
professional.  This involves salary, age, work/life balance, etc. Not 
for me you understand, it's for the children, the ones who will come after us.

See these salary surveys to see where you fit in....
http://www.automation.com/survey-results/iautomationcomi-2008-salary-survey-results
http://www.controldesign.com/articles/2008/119.html

So how is your job these days?

2) I/A Block usage

With more powerful processors 270s, FDSIs (ok  we've had these for a 
long time, but I still live with a CP30, INT30 mindset) should we use 
more blocks to make our control strategy more clear, or should we 
pack more into a block.  As we move toward more graphical tools, does 
it make sense to add blocks in an attempt to clarify, or should we 
try to conserve blocks in an effort to be more efficient.  How will 
the Galaxy and User Defined Types (UDTs) play in this 
scenario?   This is a topic that I'd like to hear your thoughts on.

3)I/A Block Types

Should the CALC, LOGIC and MATH block be killed off in favor of the 
CALCA?  Does anyone need a PID, PIDX, PIDE, or has the PIDA made 
these obsolete.
Should blocks have more parameters, or should blocks be more specific 
with fewer parameters?  Will the new RIN have enough capabilities to 
not need AINs with it?  Some of this we have some control over, 
others like parameters are not so cut and dried, but we have some 
input in this.  How do you regulate block usage?

4)What do you think I/A lacks and how can we as a user community 
overcome these deficiencies?
What does Delta-V do better?  Yokogawa? Honeywell? anyone? anyone? 
Bueller?  Bueller?


5)What kind of cool thing(s) have you done that you could talk about 
for 3 minutes?
Ok, there's no way you could make a full presentation how to 
automatically change screen backgrounds from blue to black (or 
whatever).  Here's your chance to share without having to spend time 
preparing (well prepare a little).

6) Why don't you lazy !@#@#%s use the wiki?
If we build it, you won't come.  What's up with that?  What do we 
need to do to better share our knowledge?  You do know you can edit 
the wiki, right?  Add anything you want, right?  It's so easy a 
manger can do it, so I know you can.
http://www.thecassandraproject.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Since most of you will not be in Dallas at the conference, I would 
like to open these topics up for the list.  Then the conference 
attendees can drink beer and laugh at your wrongeheaded opinions.

Regards,
David


Johnson in '08          "He's constitutionally qualified!" 


 
 
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