Early Minelab Testers Question??

[GB_Amateur]

12 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

I basically cheat by putting in huge hours... That’s my secret to successful detecting. Hours, lots of them.

I wouldn't call this 'cheating' -- just the opposite in fact.    From http://www.thomasedison.com/quotes.html here's a pertinent quote from Thomas Edison (he had many similar):  Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

For every successful person born with a skill that makes it look easy, there are thousands born without the knack but who become successful by brute force.  And note I qualified both types with 'successful'.  There are multiple times as many who aren't successful because they aren't willing to put in the hours of effort, and that includes most who were born with an edge.

 

[Norm S]

I have been on many detecting forums and this is this best forum I have been on. Everyone on this forum is here to share info, ask questions or just plain learn from it. I don't recall reading anything negative other than the problems with the Equinox release and many including myself have been upset with their dealers due to no fault of the dealer because he can't ship what he don't have. 

Most posts on here tell stuff in layman's terms so everyone can understand it.

This is the most comprehensive Equinox forum on the internet in my eyes. 

[LowTide]

I wouldn’t characterize an NDA as a gag order.  It is more akin to an employment contract at a professional level.  Let’s say you work for Company A and part of your contract holds you to not divulging proprietary info if you leave and go to work for Company B.  So it is not an adversarial relationship unless you run afoul of the NDA, and then it can become adversarial.  In the high tech industry you can see some issues arise when one company poaches a key employee from another company and they happen to compete with one another product wise.  Lawsuits in those instances are not uncommon.

Most of the NDA’s do not have sunset provisions in them so they are in perpetuity.  But when you sign an NDA the assumption is that you have read it several times and understand the implications of signing it.  And it is not a gag order imposed by the company to prevent your favorite guru from providing information.  They had their big boy pants on when they signed the NDA and knew what they were getting themselves in to.  

I have been involved with the early stage development of detectors for a couple of companies who shall remain anonymous.  And a warning to those who think it would be “fun”.  It is not “fun” but indeed a great deal of work and time, so be careful of what you wish for.  You are not being paid and even if they offer you a detector in the end it will in no way cover the time and effort you have put forth.  It would be merely a token of appreciation.  And yes I have taken part in developing detectors of which I have never touched a finished product.  I have only seen them on line in photos and videos.  And the icing on the cake is to be called a shill.

Now in the instance of the Equinox if the powers to be decided Steve H was one of their Prospecting specialists then they may send him a prototype that has the Prospecting mode software in it, and ask him to test it.  If after feedback they decide to make a change then he gets to test it again.  But there’s no guarantee that the other modes software is working or complete.  So after release if someone ask’s Steve about Deep Turf hunting he may not have a good handle on that facet of the detector.

 

[Dubious]

LowTide, hadn't thought of it in that business perspective.  It's interesting that Minelab (and other metal detector makers) apparently are able to get people to perform this testing-of-products-while-in-development service for free. Can't think of any other industry where that happens, and shows the enthusiasm for the sport.

[Northeast]

Give 

7 hours ago, Dubious said:

Can't think of any other industry where that happens

Give me a V8 commodore and free range of Mt Panorama at Bathurst and I’ll do as much gratis testing as Holden would allow  

I think it is not that people would not test things for other industries for free, it is that they aren’t given the opportunity. 

 

[Steve Herschbach]

It happens more than you think. Fishing poles and golf clubs. My business partner it was boats! What person passionate about anything would not like a chance to better improve the products they themselves use?

[Equinox DetExpert]

On 3/13/2018 at 12:47 AM, Steve Herschbach said:

Good gosh, there are many people who are better detectorists than I am! Seriously, I am no wizard. I basically cheat by putting in huge hours, talking about the good days, and forgetting to mention the bad!  Good photographers don’t take perfect pictures every time. They take a zillion pictures and toss all but the best ten. That’s my secret to successful detecting. Hours, lots of them.

I like to think of myself as a student of metal detecting. The day I can’t learn from others is the day I die. A person simply asking a question I don’t know the answer to triggers my learning process. I don’t have all the answers - I just chase them down when people ask, and then we both learn something. My favorite line at work... “I don’t know, but I will find out and get back to you.” Pretty grand when you think about it. So thank you all - you help me in more ways than you know.

I have to say I've come here many times as a guest reading information and stuff and I have now signed up to the forum to be able to talk to all y'all because this is the most knowledgeable group of detectorist/ #equinox users I have ever seen and for anyone to say that the equinox is easily replaced in the detecting game is foolish this is the best all-around detector available on the market today. Can't wait to see what Minelab has in-store for the future. I saw Steve's post last night. The one about him having ADHD and how he's come to find himself and how he uses it to his advantage. How he takes a in society considered negative and turns it into a positive and uses it to his advantage is in a testament to his intellect and knowledge and how he's grown not only as a detectorist but as a person. Much love from here Steve. 

[Equinox DetExpert]

2 minutes ago, Equinox DetExpert said:

I have to say I've come here many times as a guest reading information and stuff and I have now signed up to the forum to be able to talk to all y'all because this is the most knowledgeable group of detectorist/ #equinox users I have ever seen and for anyone to say that the equinox is easily replaced in the detecting game is foolish this is the best all-around detector available on the market today. Can't wait to see what Minelab has in-store for the future. I saw Steve's post last night. The one about him having ADHD and how he's come to find himself and how he uses it to his advantage. How he takes a in society considered negative and turns it into a positive and uses it to his advantage is in a testament to his intellect and knowledge and how he's grown not only as a detectorist but as a person. Much love from here Steve. 

Mr. Steve I'd love to be able to take conversations from the forum obviously with your and whomever quotes I'd use permission and be able to write a rather stacked book of information to have people have this information at the ready. I to wanna help people with metal detecting. Especially newcomers to the Eqx series

[Steve Herschbach]

1 hour ago, Equinox DetExpert said:

Mr. Steve I'd love to be able to take conversations from the forum obviously with your and whomever quotes I'd use permission and be able to write a rather stacked book of information to have people have this information at the ready. I to wanna help people with metal detecting. Especially newcomers to the Eqx series

Thanks for the very kind comments. I appreciate your desire to create a document, but simply compiling quotes from the forum is probably not the best way to approach it. The content here is copyrighted for a reason, and I request that copyright is honored. It applies on all content on the forum, and in my case specifically I want my writing firmly under my own control. I am constantly editing and updating the content. I certainly can't give permission for anyone to use others posts in any way. That is up to each individual. I specifically do not release any of my writing into the public domain, and request that it not be copied or used elsewhere.

 Anyone can read and learn, and then restate things in their own words. I think that is always the best approach. You learn things well enough to internalize them, and then put your own spin on it.

Again, thank you for the very kind comment. I'm just another person at the end of the day, doing my thing. Everyone I meet is special, and the world is full of people that amaze me. I'm sure you are one of them, so do have a great day!