Next message: Jim Thompson: "Re: suggestion for a satisfactory celnav narrative"
Thank you Jim.
First, I plan no project of my own, rather was suggesting that the list
have a coherent description of the process to provide the uninitiated,
which you've already admirably done :-)
I'll be in Cape Breton for the summer in a week or two, but
unfortunately have so much to accomplish regarding the moving process, I
won't be able to sail over to PEI this summer. But certainly plan to do
so next summer and hope to call on a stop-over at that time.
Incidentally, do you have any feel for residential construction costs in
the Nova Scotia area ? We have a house but need a large barn and I'm
trying to get a handle on possibilities.
Cordially,
Courtney
On Tue, 2005-05-31 at 15:06, Jim Thompson wrote:
> Courtney -- I have been trying something like this (I think) at:
> http://jimthompson.net/boating/CelestialNav/CelestNotes/IntroCN.htm
> If any of that is useful to your project, then let me know.
>
> Jim Thompson
> jim3 at jimthompson dot net
> www.jimthompson.net
> --------------------
> Outgoing email scanned by Norton Antivirus
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Courtney Thomas
> > As one who has struggled with a plethora of publications that purport to
> > convey the celnav gospel, I'd like to suggest a group project of
> > composing a "minimal" narrative of the essentials of celestial
> > navigation that would at least do the following, though additions are
> > welcomed as the group sees fit, of course, as I'm sure I'm not even
> > sufficiently proficient to provide a satisfactory outline, and therefore
> > only hope to induce the competent to collaborate:
> >
> > Also assuming Godelian proficiency unnecessary :-) and hoping an
> > included bibliography will gratify those whose requirements are
> > unsatisfied by the final group consensus, as well as those merely more
> > curious, I submit the following as starting suggestions:
> >
> > 1-a summary narrative - to fully setout a statement of the problem and
> > it's currently regarded state of the art solution, omitting all math and
> > drawings. This might, for example, omit considerations such as sextants
> > and their use, historical considerations, etc., i.e. adhere only to a
> > conceptual basis, ignoring the procedural, hence avoiding the conflation
> > and inflation of other authors.
> >
> > 2-definitions - only that necessary to familiarize a novice
> > with the terminology
> >
> > 3-math & science axioms & drawings - the plane geometry, trigonometry,
> > astronomy, physics, etc. deemed indispensible, with a suitable
> > bibliography
> >
> > 4-a summary outline - sort of a table of contents writ large, setting
> > out a celnav process
> >
> > 5-for each section in #4, a brief narrative of motivation to textually
> > succeed each topic - [To maintain reader clarity, for example, for a
> > section on, say, the intercept method, to describe HOW it fits into the
> > overall scheme and WHY it is valid.]
> >
> > 6-a summary with example(s) - a final assembly... embodying the initial
> > summary, described in #1, but utilizing the actual nuts&bolts contained
> > in #s 2 & 3, with nothing more included
> >
> > [Goal Statement: to layout a minimal, though complete, celnav procedure
> > for a novice without omitting unity, while avoiding concision that
> > leaves confusion and wonderment.]
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Please leave me out of any debate on the desirability and feasibility.
> > If you think it undesirable or infeasible, ignore this suggestion, else
> > I thank you for your contribution to it's realization, as will all those
> > who follow.
> >
> > Courtney Thomas
> >
> >
