|
|
|
|
The third survey carried out by the Corrosion Doctors focused on the information sources used by corrosion specialists.It was carried out between October 18 and 30 1999.
In his 1952 landmark paper, F.L. LaQue stretched the importance of basic knowledge for performing good corrosion engineering and the requirements of reliable information sources. In this third survey the Corrosion Doctors asked their visitors to identify which information sources they most depended upon for their daily work.
The visitors were asked to answer the following questions simply stating their opinions by clicking on one of eight options provided. These options were:
Books
Journals
Conferences, associated activities and publications
Software systems (databases, CDs, etc.)
Own network of friends and contacts
Internet discussion groups such as UMIST, NACE
Web sites
Other
Fifty two visitors duly answered these questions. We only had a couple of 'other' answers in the eight choices provided, a good indication that the survey choices were broad enough. In fact, these answers were gleaned out since they almost uniquelyreferred to 'own experience' as a source of reliable information. We had assumed that looking for a source of information only came after realizing that our own knowledge was insufficient.Again, we, the Corrosion Doctors, could be dead wrong to assume that we know what we think we know. Well, what do you say Bert?
First question: "In your daily life as a corrosion specialist, what is the most dependable information source you depend upon to carry your work?"
Third question: "In your daily life as a corrosion specialist, what is your main back-up when the first two information sources do not work?"
On one hand we, as the author of a published Handbook of Corrosion Engineering, are very pleased since books, books, books are here for good. On the other hand we, as Corrosion Doctors, are a little bit frustrated that web information goes pretty low in the esteem of our visitors that are the 'crème de la crème' of computer users in the corrosion community.
