active devices and passive devices

An active device is any type of circuit component with the ability to electrically control electron flow (electricity controlling electricity). In order for a circuit to be properly called electronic, it must contain at least one active device. Components incapable of controlling current by means of another electrical signal are called passive devices. Resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, and even diodes are all considered passive devices. Active devices include, but are not limited to, vacuum tubes, transistors, silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs), and TRIACs.

H> i'm looking at the definition for active device

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On 2 Mar 2005 10:58:24 -0800 in sci.electronics.basics, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk (James Hanley) wrote msg :

You've stumbled into an ongoing debate. I agree (as I think most in the industry do) with "aman"'s description, but you'll find other sources that will group diodes as active devices. Don't worry too much about it.