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Why some people mow a lawn better than others

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Re: Why some people mow a lawn better than others

#41

Post by sealthedeal »

paradox460 wrote: post #20
cortesoft wrote: post #3

This is a very different problem than actual efficiency when mowing a lawn or vacuuming a rub. Turning takes more work and time, and you miss a part of the 'square' when you are turning (the arc of the curve is not a straight line). In addition, vacuums especially have an area at the edge of the machine that is not cleaned as well, which is why you want a bit of overlap in your lines. Plus, when mowing a lawn, you of…

Plus mowing a lawn is meditative Copying another comment I made earlier When I was laid off a couple months ago, the first thing I did was go out and mow my lawn. One hour of simple, clean labor, with clear progress, goals, and solitude. It helped me stay out of a bad mental frame, and when I finished I went inside and sent out a few hundred applications Over the next several weeks, I spent a lot of time that wasn't…

There is something beautiful about getting hands dirty with actual dirt/earth. Its such a REAL feeling.

Re: Why some people mow a lawn better than others

#45

Post by LocalH »

cortesoft wrote: post #3

This is a very different problem than actual efficiency when mowing a lawn or vacuuming a rub. Turning takes more work and time, and you miss a part of the 'square' when you are turning (the arc of the curve is not a straight line). In addition, vacuums especially have an area at the edge of the machine that is not cleaned as well, which is why you want a bit of overlap in your lines. Plus, when mowing a lawn, you of…

> and you miss a part of the 'square' when you are turning (the arc of the curve is not a straight line)

This can heavily be mitigated through technique. If you walk straight and just turn? Yeah, the corner is missed. If you explicitly come to a stop and do your best to do a full 90-degree turn before moving? The only curve there is going to come from the shape of the blade, and is almost guaranteed to be a tighter curve than just walking and turning without stopping.

Yes, it takes longer. But if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right, even if it takes twice as long, no?

Re: Why some people mow a lawn better than others

#46

Post by psygn89 »

adregan wrote: post #4

I have a small yard and I'm not optimizing for the fewest moves, I'm optimizing for both the longest continuous lines (because I think they look nicest) and the shortest distance to carry the clippings at the end. I have a different definition of optimal to this game.

Yeah, I think most people who have a yard wouldn't have played it for fewest moves... I don't know why but this whole piece reminds me of someone that never had to mow their yard, or AI that optimizes for something without carrying the full context or nuance of why we might not have gone with fewest moves optimization.

Re: Why some people mow a lawn better than others

#48

Post by Carp »

b40d-48b2-979e wrote: post #39
collingreen wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe the point is the wheel lines and to vary where the wheels go by changing the pattern each time you mow so you don't, for example, always drive exactly down the fence and cause a rut or mulch buildup or missed area. I dont think it was "don't hurt the grass while you cut it" or "mow it four times in one sitting".

How often are you people mowing your lawn that that's even a concern? It's like this is "surburbs: the problem: the comment section"

"Worked as a landscaper during my youth"

Re: Why some people mow a lawn better than others

#49

Post by jacobolus »

scottyah wrote: post #14
cortesoft wrote: post #3

This is a very different problem than actual efficiency when mowing a lawn or vacuuming a rub. Turning takes more work and time, and you miss a part of the 'square' when you are turning (the arc of the curve is not a straight line). In addition, vacuums especially have an area at the edge of the machine that is not cleaned as well, which is why you want a bit of overlap in your lines. Plus, when mowing a lawn, you of…

You should see how optimal the poster's first dates are! Meet at a location with premade bottles of Soylent while they ask 15 questions. Done in 30min. Optimized away the cost and time "wasted" at restaurants or mini-golf type activities.

It's a cute little optimization puzzle they made for people to solve, with lawn mowing as a graphical hook to make the problem more approachable and fun. Similarly, my kids have a physical logic puzzle where the theme is putting plastic cats into plastic boxes, but it's not supposed to be training for actually optimizing cat packaging.

How is this any more or less valid a use of time vs. mini-golf?

(The "real" analogous problems are things like optimizing factories or delivery routes, and the way they are solved is by programming a computer to, but this is a toy version.)

Re: Why some people mow a lawn better than others

#50

Post by abighamb »

cortesoft wrote: post #3

This is a very different problem than actual efficiency when mowing a lawn or vacuuming a rub. Turning takes more work and time, and you miss a part of the 'square' when you are turning (the arc of the curve is not a straight line). In addition, vacuums especially have an area at the edge of the machine that is not cleaned as well, which is why you want a bit of overlap in your lines. Plus, when mowing a lawn, you of…

The lines change mowing so much!
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