[arcticbull]

Not every bit helps. Sometimes trying to do something, badly, will cause more harm than not trying. I sympathize, it's frustrating, and it's difficult to sit on your hands sometimes feeling like you should be doing something.

In totality, however, furthering things like DIY ventilators (like DIY open-heart surgery) can cause more harm than good.

We've got governments, experts and professionals mobilizing to prepare for this, let's allow them to do their jobs. This is what they've trained for.

[whatshisface]

>let's allow them to do their jobs

Do hobbyists rigging together servo motors to prepare for a worst-case scenario really interfere with the soon-to-be overwhelmed professional medical industry workers attempts to do their jobs? The only reason I can think of to be against this would be kind of like doing a trust fall, voicing against independent work to signal personal trust in the capacity of the medical system. Of course, that would be a purely social reason, not really helpful for saving lives or improving the system.

[arcticbull]

I mean, what if I posted a write-up on how to use a bellows from a forge in lieu of a ventilator. Wouldn't you agree that's downright negligent if not actively harmful? Distracting from the actual problem? Would you at least agree it's totally unhelpful?

Just because it's got firmware doesn't mean that description isn't apt.

[whatshisface]

Imagine a stadium filled with cots, where there are many doctors walking around telling people "you're going to be okay" while triaging equipment. (An extreme example but not impossible.) I think if you gave a nurse in that situation some forge bellows and realistic instructions for using them, they just might try it. When you're in a real sticky situation, plenty of medical professionals will be willing to shoot for remote chances. What would they rather do, push someone out of triage or try the servo contraption?

[arcticbull]

That sounds like you're suggesting they'd just be trying to kil everyone instead of trying to treat them. Are you confident in your knowledge of what ventilator is, how it works, who needs it, who can administer it?

It feels like you're intentionally trying not to understand the point that just forcing air into someone isn't a valuable thing to do. What matters is how, what degree, the amount of control, volume, timing, and the ability of medical professionals to control the parameters. Otherwise you could just use your leaf blower.

Putting air into someone is the easy part.

[whatshisface]

>you're suggesting they'd just be trying to kill everyone instead of trying to treat them.

Triage isn't "trying to kill," it's choosing who gets to benefit from limited medical resources.

[arcticbull]

It's not triage if the device you have is worthless. It's not a medical resource if it's not fit for purpose or if the people using it aren't trained.