Is this a switch?

[boscoe99]

A switch is a switch is a switch. I think that we all agree on that.

The question is, when a switch in not opened and closed manually (or turned off and on manually) but is used remotely to "sense" something, is it inappropriate or flat out wrong to call it a "sensor"?

And if it is inappropriate/wrong to call it a "sensor", with the understanding that it must be called a "switch" at all times, what is the rationale for treating a "switch" differently from a potentiometer, a variable resistor (mechanically activated or temperature sensitive), and other types of electrical devices that are are or are not comprised of switches?

What makes a standalone switch so special that it has to be treated differently?

[fairdeal]

let's be very clear here, a "switch" is a device that is on or off,

it turns on and off

nothing more nothing less.

Just what I was thinking two nights ago - a switch has only a binary state.

Then I remembered I was sitting under a lamp con*****ed by a "dimmer switch"...

[boscoe99]

Just what I was thinking two nights ago - a switch has only a binary state.

Then I remembered I was sitting under a lamp con*****ed by a "dimmer switch"...

Was it mechanically dimmed or electronically dimmed?

When a transistor is used to simply turn on or off a device why isn't it called a switch? Binary state if you will. No current flow or full current flow?

[ausnoelm]

The dimmer "switch" is actually quite easy to explain, and in reality it should be called a dimmer AND switch, dimmers also have a switch to turn the light on and off, and a potentiometer to control the brightness, (either by electronics, or variable resistance, which would be pretty rare these days) even when turned down very low, the light is still on, with the aid of an oscilloscope, you can very clearly see how a dimmer works, but the fact remains, with or without the included dimmer, a normal house light is switched on and off, how it's con*****ed after that matters little, so continue finding tiny variations if things to confuse people all you like, it changes nothing in the function of a switch...over and out.

[zenoahphobic]

Of course we all realise that the world is gradually being digitised. That means all will be binary and that is simply everything either in one state or the other. Everything will fundamentally be "switched " on or off if you like (albeit many many times on and off forever perhaps - no resting state if you will).
Existing decimal and other number systems will be relegated to history like the abacus.
It already does not matter whether something is exactly on or off, the computer will make "conventional switches" obsolete , although internally they are pretty much all switches. Computers are eating all our switches and storing them in their bodies! I almost just touch or speak to make thing go "on".

Now I wonder what will happen when they have used all the switches in the world, where do they go to get more?

[cpostis]

Of course we all realise that the world is gradually being digitised. That means all will be binary and that is simply everything either in one state or the other. Everything will fundamentally be "switched " on or off if you like (albeit many many times on and off forever perhaps - no resting state if you will).
Existing decimal and other number systems will be relegated to history like the abacus.
It already does not matter whether something is exactly on or off, the computer will make "conventional switches" obsolete , although internally they are pretty much all switches. Computers are eating all our switches and storing them in their bodies! I almost just touch or speak to make thing go "on".

Now I wonder what will happen when they have used all the switches in the world, where do they go to get more?

Thank you Zeno, Now I'll open a brew celebrating you.

Or, should I say this:

01010100 01101000 01100001 01101110 01101011 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01011010 01100101 01101110 01101111 00101100 00100000 01001110 01101111 01110111 00100000 01001001 00100111 01101100 01101100 00100000 01101111 01110000 01100101 01101110 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100010 01110010 01100101 01110111 00100000 01100011 01100101 01101100 01100101 01100010 01110010 01100001 01110100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00101110

[rodbolt17]

yes transitors,igfets and mosfets can and are used as switchs.
it is why most 12v 4 stroke and 12V Z Yamaha engines use a TCI system.
transistor con*****ed ignition.

the transistors switch the ign coil primary current on and off.
just like a set of electronic "points".