"Neener, neener, you're dumb."
Nice argument JOMAN.
The author was not saying the wristwatch is a lump of steel. In fact, he was stating just the opposite. He was using the wristwatch as an analogous example to a vacuum tube. Eliminate the bracketed clause, a lump of steel, and read the sentence. A tube, like a wristwatch, it's a delicate mechanism. He's identifying that both items are complex and variable in makeup. Neither is a lump of steel.
I was offering up an interesting article on the subject in this thread. Maybe, the author isn't spot on, maybe, but it's certainly relevant. If I'm wrong, awesome, then I will have learned something. That's a reason to celebrate not feel stupid.Once again, good discourse goes a long way without character judgements and/or character assassination. Please try it.
As far as being an electrical engineer, like a metallurgist, they have cross discipline knowledge and an ability to scientifically assess research in other scientific disciplines. It's also not a stretch for an EE to know principles of metallurgy for purposes of energy movement, conduction, and other effects upon and within different types of metal. Here's an except from
https://www.cryogenicsociety.org/cryo-careers "Cryo Careers
Professionals who deal with cryogenics learn their trade in a variety of academic and hands-on ways, coming from the fields of mechanical, chemical and
electrical engineering, various specialized physics areas, materials science and a combination of these and other backgrounds. Whatever the academic background, there is always a basic need for hands-on experience in the lab or in industry.
Mr Taylor may not be experienced in the cryo trade, but him being and EE certainly doesn't disqualify him from speaking on the subject, as evidenced by the excerpt above.
Thank you, JOMAN, for the encouragement. It really helps the environment for learning.