Rest easy, Ash

If you are losing it, then people here and here are doing the same.

Hi all,

The glossary project is progressing, now in the proofreading phase. Any and all comments are most welcome!

One term, "bootstrap effect," was suggested in a forum post quite some time ago, early in the glossary process, but nobody on the glossary editorial team has been able to come up with a definition. Does anybody know anything about this term, in a sailing context? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

With best regards,
Shemaya

I've been away for a Christmas break without e-mail, so I'm a bit late to respond, but I would encourage you to put as much info as practical into each glossary entry (still keeping each entry brief).  Glossary entries shouldn't be filled with jargon or detail to confound the newbie, but should be complete enough that it adds to a persons understanding.  That is the purpose of a glossary.  I think the briefest definitions of airfoil require an external link for a person to understand what an airfoil is, but perhaps that is OK.  When you link to other sites I would suggest choosing those that are most likely to be stable and longlasting if you can't find a way to have the content on the JRA itself. 

As an example, if the definition of airfoil was as the paragraph below, then Dave wouldn't have had the opportunity to discover something new, because there isn't enough information in the definition to differentiate between the various (correct and incorrect) models of how an airfoil works.

A streamlined surface designed in such a way that air flowing around it produces useful motion. The cross section of a sail approximates an airfoil. 

Annie Hill wrote:Dave, I think I'd go for the simpler.  This isn't Physics 1.0.1, it's Junk 1.0.1.  What we are trying to do is make it easier for complete tyros to get their heads around what we are talking about.  If someone is totally clueless as to what is an airfoil, I think they'll find a full explanation more of a hindrance than a help.  IMHO. 

Where I come from, they are called an 'aerofoil', BTW, so I guess we need an aka here.  I have downloaded the glossary and will carefully proof read it over the next couple of weeks to add my little bit.

Hi Annie,

Good point.

One of the reasons we wanted to go Wiki based is that it makes it very simple to link glossary entries to more 'encyclopedic' treatment, where more complete discussion properly belongs. But there are other ways to achieve that while leaving the glossary simple.

RE British Usage - We did decide for British (vs American) usage throughout the glossary, with American Usage aka'd. This in respect for PJR and the founders of the JRA.

I'll try to undo my lazy habit of American Usage in discussions, and any noted in the JRG are to be corrected.

Thanks!

Dave Z

RE Aerofoil

From the discussion, I'm getting two impressions.

The first pertains to the depth of definition, from 'simpler' ranging toward 'inclusive' (of theory, for example). This can be generally applied to entries throughout.

I'm personally somewhere in the middle. Simplicity is very good, but I do feel that enough content to touch upon relevant points for further exploration is helpful at the glossary level.

To that end, in these draft entries, I've tried to bend them toward their application or relevance to sail in general, and junk rig in particular, and included a bit more than the bare bones.

Any thoughts on the general approach?

Secondly, I'm unsurprised to see that I've missed an important 'newer' explanation of how sails work! As such, I'm already personally delighted and enriched by the success of this phase.

*****

Definition Alternatives:

Airfoil: A streamlined surface designed in such a way that air flowing around it produces useful motion. The cross section of a sail approximates an airfoil. 

-- Paraphrased from NASA definition tending toward simple/minimal... similar to Webster's

Airfoil: an object whose shape is designed to produce lift while minimizing the drag produced.  Airfoils, such as sails, produce lift when a moving flow of gas is turned by a solid object. The flow is turned in one direction, and the lift is generated in the opposite direction, according to Newton's Third Law of action and reaction.

-- Darren Bos' defintion, containing useful and suggestive content

Airfoil: A streamlined surface - such as a sail or wing - designed in such a way that air flowing around it produces useful motion, producing favorable lift in accordance with Newton's Third Law of action and reaction, and generally minimizing drag.

-- Hybrid approach blending simple plus a little extra content

Any preferences (and whyfors)?

Last thought/question:

I tried to create 'suites' of related definitions via the 'See...' section following many entries. We might take a look at the whole suite, rather than focus on isolated entries, since, ideally, they will all be coordinated.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Dave Z