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by simpsoka 719 days ago
The disc moves, but there aren't any moving mechanical parts to cause it to move. It's done with electromagnetic pulses. I'll update it to make this more clear.
1 comments

I don't really see what the distinction is?

You might as well say a motor has no moving parts, because it's done with electromagnetic impulses. But that would be absurd.

Obviously the hinge of each disc will wear and tear and eventually fail. Buildups of dust and oil will affect them too and prevent them from flipping. Flipdiscs are as mechanical as mechanical parts get.

You writing in the intro: "...have no moving parts, near limitless lifespan..." is just not credible.

And if I'm being entirely honest, that's where I stopped reading your post, because you simply didn't seem trustworthy. You might want to focus more an accuracy rather than hyperbole if you want to maintain readers.

Probably because they are just a hobbyist and not an expert in the field (nor do they assert that they are). Maybe be a little kinder on the internet. It sounds like it was just a minor oversight.
> Maybe be a little kinder on the internet.

I really did think about whether or not to write that last paragraph. But the thing is, it's the truth. And I think it's going to be more helpful in the long run for authors to know these things.

Believe me, I've been on the receiving end many times and it's made me a vastly better writer and communicator. When somebody stops reading your article because of a howler, it's much better for you to hear why so you can learn from it.

(And you don't need to be an expert in the field to realize that discs that flip are mechanical, or that they don't have a "near limitless lifespan". These aren't exactly subtle mistakes, and it's one of the main justifications presented in the introduction itself.)

Thanks for the feedback. I've updated the article.
You're seriously insinuating that a person has to be an expert in the field to be able to identify that a device with moving parts has... moving parts in it?
The entire history of the world stands as proof that focusing on hyperbole maintains readers better :)

Though I do wish for more accuracy. These things are totally moving parts, and there is no way they have even a long lifespan, let alone a "near limitless" one. Though to be precise, "near limitless" is meaningless.

It's amazing the type of pretty tame criticism that gets downvoted here these days. Your criticism is entirely factual and has zero hint of malice. I felt the exact same way when I read these things in the article -- just pure nonsense.
So sorry to have caused the confusion. I've updated the post to be more detailed. Honest mistake. I was referencing the mechanical parts of the board that move the dot. For example, unlike Vestaboards, which have a gear to move the panels, flipdisc boards use magnets. Good thing pixels on a webpage are easier to update than pixels on a flipdisc board!