Glowforge-made Japanese Manhole Cover Coasters!

Great idea.

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That is awesome. I would look into doing the transfer onto a silicon sheet then onto the fabric - that way the image and lettering wouldn’t be mirrored

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I thought you would have to go that route, pretty tough to get that clarity otherwise. What as awesome end result though, well done.

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Very nicely done!

Nicely done. This is something I would buy. :slight_smile:

Since we are talking about manhole covers, these questions were reportedly part of programmer job interviews at Microsoft, a few decades ago…

  1. Why are manhole covers round?
  2. What one other basic geometric shape has the same properties?

Do you know the answers? :sunglasses:

image

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They’re round to keep them from being accidentally dropped into the holes.
(Didn’t know the other one though.)

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@Jules (almost) gets the job!

An equilateral triangle has the same properties. We have lots here in San Diego. See photo above. :sunglasses:

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So I had a few answers for the first question, but none for the second. Your answer for #2 didn’t apply to my answers for #1. I googled it and I’m still not sure how your second answer fits.

One example: https://www.careerfaqs.com.au/careers/interview-questions-and-tips/job-interview-question-and-answer-why-are-manhole-covers-round

Love to know your thought process!

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Ah. I came up with some others… the rolling aspect, the body shape, and the fact that they can be placed in any direction.

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I’m just curious why you would need to know that as a programmer. It’s more of an engineering issue. :smile:

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Are those manhole covers? People go through those?

@Jules: That’s why we’re called “software engineers” now and not “programmers”. For a time (cir. 1980) “programmers” liked to be called “systems analysts”. :sunglasses:

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i like the triangular ones…those are cool looking. :smile:

I’d think a good interviewer would ask the first question, but not the second. It should be about creative thinking and problem solving on the spot.

Are those manhole covers? People go through those?

@ChristyM: All the triangular “manhole” covers I’ve ever seen are small—maybe just for homunculus individuals? :sunglasses:

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Chuckle! I just had a flashback to the dozen or so interviews I had…there were no questions other than “How much will it take?” (Had one fellow with a drilling outfit offer to have the barge painted pink.)

Times sure have changed.

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I’ve used both questions for just about every person I’ve ever interviewed for computer-related jobs. Correct answers are not that important IMHO. If the interviewee does not know the answers immediately—and few do—it starts a discussion using the Socratic method.

I usually start with:

“Have you ever seen a rectangular manhole cover?”
“What would be the issue with such a cover in a street?”

That discussion tells me a lot about the interviewee and how they approach cooperative problem solving.—or at least I think so! :sunglasses:

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Sounds good actually.

One thing I’ve never done is interview anyone formally for a job. Seems a good way to find people who are willing to work with others.

I’ve often thought that if I had to interview someone, I’d want to ask them about their last major failure, and how it happened.

You can tell a lot about a person by how they respond to that question.

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