Re: [xml-dev] The Airplane Example (was Re: [xml-dev] Streaming XML)

Benjamin Franz wrote:
> 
> On Thu, 6 Jan 2005, Elliotte Harold wrote:
> 
>> Benjamin Franz wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Just because it doesn't have any 'moving parts' doesn't mean it 
>>> doesn't wear out: EVERYTHING wears out sooner or later.
>>
>>
>> Yes, but there's a point at which a quantitative difference becomes a 
>> qualitative one; and I think the orders of magnitude difference 
>> between a computer wearing out due to cosmic rays and thermal fatigue 
>> and a car engine wearing out due to mechanical friction crosses that 
>> line.
> 
> 
> The difference is only about 1 order of magnitude in my experience. Not 
> enough to call it a qualitative difference.

I am not really taking part in this thread, but here is some
real life experience that shows it can also be the other way around:

My father was a watchmaker, so I learned to like mechanical
watches. I am currently wearing a watch built in 1965. The last
time I had it serviced was 1993. I have never seen an electronic
watch (LED or LCD display, no moving parts) that has lasted
even half as long.

Karl