• DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social
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    10 days ago

    That’s not what mechanical means, but I can understand the confusion.

    Those are manual shutters. If it’s mechanical, unless you are using a very archaic definition or speaking in a different context it is capable of self movement in some form.

    Not that I’d be particularly surprised to find out product marketing on the question is all over the place.

    • Ibuthyr@lemmy.wtf
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      10 days ago

      I’m a mechanical engineer, but what do I know. Just studied that shit for 5 years and worked as one for the past 13.

      But then again, I’m from Germany so maybe there is a language barrier between us somehow.

      We now know what you mean and you probably also know what the other person meant. All is well.

    • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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      10 days ago

      Does your mechanical pencil advance its own lead? Does your mechanical keyboard type on itself?

      • DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social
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        10 days ago

        Yes, in this sense.

        Clicking the mechanism converts the manual input to a mechanical or electrical output.

        If you pushed the lead down entirely by hand it wouldn’t be a mechanical pencil, which is exactly why you pushing or flipping a plastic cover into place makes it a manual shutter.

        When you type on a mechanical keyboard, what, precisely, do you think is happening? Are you literally outputting a letter by pressing your finger down?

        I do love having to explain basic terminology to a relatively well educated yet stupendously deaf audience.

        Really restores my faith in humanity.

        We’re not fucking cooked, and the mental infantilization of the population is not complete.

        • MutilationWave@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          10 days ago

          mechanical /mĭ-kăn′ĭ-kəl/ adjective

          Of or relating to machines or tools.
          "mechanical skill."
          
          Operated or produced by a mechanism or machine.
          "a mechanical toy dog."
          
          Of, relating to, or governed by mechanics.
          

          You’re using the second definition and everybody else, including me, is thinking of the first or third. I would call anything that has a mechanism integrated into it, such as a manual slide that covers a camera, no matter how simple, to be mechanical. A playground teeter totter is pushing the definition, but I’d say it’s technically mechanical.

      • ebolapie@lemmy.world
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        10 days ago

        You used to be able to get a mecha for a five cents. Gimme a mecha for a nickel, we’d say. We didn’t have actual mecha (because of the war) so we used jam jar lids instead. Now one time Puddinhead, his name was Gerald Brown but everyone called him puddinhead because he had this hat that looked like a pudding cup. I don’t know where he found it. Maybe he made it, which, in retrospect, was really neat. We were a little too hard on old Puddinhead. Anyway…