Duplicate threads and circuit requests.

[Alun]

In my opinion this forum has a problem with duplicate threads and mis-posted threads which make the forum harder to use - we have nurmerious FM transmitter threads and a few power controller and inverter threads, some of which have been active simultaneously. I think often newbs with a circuit reques sign up here and they don't understand the meaning of the sections so they just post anywhere without checking whether someone has already asked the same question before. When someone does this I reply with links listing threads that answer their question and I show them how to search the forum.

What I'm proposing is the correct use of the following sections should be enforced more, in my view the following sections have had problems with people posting off topic, apart from where I've said otherwise:

Projects Q/A
Purely about the projects on this site no circuit requests.

Microcontroller Projects, Programming
No problems exist.

Datasheet/Parts requests
There was a thread in Circuit Requests and it's now been moved to the right place - Datasheet Requests - thanks hotwaterwizard!

Electronic Projects Design/Ideas
Ideas people have or have found on the Internet or books, no circuit requests.

Service Manuals
There're no problems here.

Theory articles
Purely about the laws of physics and electronics in general,no circuit requests.

Circuit/General Requests
Yay - the correct place for circuit requests, from what I can see most of the threads on this forum belong here! ;D

Electronics chit chat
Anything electron that's not already covered by the other forums, but please no circuit requests

Microelectronics
Possibly merge with Microcontroller Projects, Programming?

Electronic Resources
Possibly merge with Theory articles?

Spice Simulation - PCB design
Ok as it is, but isn't PCB design a kind of mechanical construction?

Inventive/New Ideas
New and original ideas that people have either thought of or read about, no circuit requests.

Mechanical constructions/Hardware
Nuts/bolts, motors gears and other mechanical stuff, ok as it is.

Sell/Buy electronics - Job offer/requests
Apart from the odd post which could be elsewhere this forum is fine.

High Voltage Stuff
Good, but there could be a safety warning some where.

Electronic Gadgets
No problems here.

Announcements
About this site, maybe only allow the moderators and site administrators to post here.

Feedback/Comments
I posted this somewhere else and Now I've moved it here where it belongs.;D

General
Off topic chat, no circuit requests.

No I'm not suggesting you move all existing posts but this could be applied to new threads and maybe some of the current active threads. At least if anything circuit requests seem to pop-up everywhere, and are often duplicates. If someone were to start another shaft encoder thread for example, it should be moved and appended to the existing one.

Disclaimer
I'm not having a go at anyone this is constructive criticism - I'm just voicing my opinions about how the site could be improved and made easier to use. I really appreciate the people who very kindly spend their time making this site great.

 

[MP1]

The only item I disagree with is that microelectronics is not microcontroller. It should have it's own place.

...but you should be aware that this is an International forum and that interpretation will always be something that will suffer. This is in reference to the meaning of the words used for the forum names.


MP

 

[Alun]

The only item I disagree with is that microelectronics is not microcontroller. It should have it's own place.

No but a microcontroler is microelectronics. ;D

I can see your point, but what would you consider microelectronics to be? Strictly speaking it's intregrated circuits in general, but I tend to think about microcontrolers and logic gates and programable logic.

...but you should be aware that this is an International forum and that interpretation will always be something that will suffer. This is in reference to the meaning of the words used for the forum names.

Which is something I'm slowly getting used to, the other forum I post in is mostly english speaking, the few non-English mother tongue posters are very good, I didn't know that some were non-English untill I read their profiles.

If someone's made a thread that already exists I help them by showing them how to search this forum, I also point them in the direction of threads they will (hopefully) find helpful. I firmly believe that education is one of the best ways to help people and make this forum easier to use.

Thanks for the response MP, I suppose as no one else has responded it's because most people don't believe a more orderly and well organised forum would be easier to use.

 

[Dazza]

Hi Alun, MP

Ok Alun, your last paragraph worked , I am responding ;D, of course a more orderly forums is important, I doubt that anyone would think otherwise.

First of all Alun, I'm sure that the community appreciates your efforts to point out areas of improvement, and also appreciate your efforts to assist the less knowledgeable members of this community , which includes me ;D.

The members of this community have been very generous to me, Freely offering me their time and knowledge, unfortunately there is very little I can offer in return, but I do try to help out if I can, and now being given the ability to  moderate, I can do a little more .

It can sometimes be difficult to decide whether or whether not to move a post, for example my electric furnace project, it was first posted where I felt was in the appropriate area, as I was only requesting assistants for the electronic/electrical side of this project, and I was not intending to discuss the construction side of the project, however it was promptly moved to mechanical Constructions/Hardware, so now it didn't matter if I continued on into the construction side of this project, which is good but it could be seen as an incorrect posting, because now there is a circuit along the lines of a circuit request in mechanical Constructions/Hardware, instead of having the electronic/electrical side of this project in one area, and the construction side of this project in another.

There are other post similar to this, start off as one thing then on to something different that should be in another area, then returns back to the original subject.  There are going to be postings that could be moved or left where they are, or others that change subjects and even contain lengthy postings discussing the whether (chit chat) I guess a point that I am trying to make is, keeping order to the forums is to everyone's benefit, but there is always going to be postings that go off topic and have chit chat, without some chit chat and occasionally going off topic, I think that it would mean we would be pushing towards a sterile type environment, instead of a friendly worldwide community based environment, where people can share their ideas and help one another out, and also to get to know other people from different corners of the globe.

About the on English-speaking members, I think there must be a lot of them that do not post because of their poor English, and the ones that do post usually apologise for their poor English, which they shouldn't feel they need to do, I think that it's the community's responsibility to try to encourage these members to continue to post, which will help improve their English.  I have received messages from members asking for assistants, who have not posted in the forums, and I'm fairly certain that the reason why they chose to send me a message asking for assistance, instead of posting is because of their very poor English.

MP, Alun,
unfortunately my time for awhile is limited with the new baby on the way, and I think it is good to discuss ways of improving these forums, I hope that I have offered some useful input, and I will continue to offer as much time as I can to help make this community a great place to be for everyone.

Cheers, Dazza .

 

[MP1]

Alun,
Microelectronics is defined as the branch of electronics that deals with miniature components. 20 years ago, this would have referred to all ICs, but today it refers to microscopic electronics. Conversations regarding this might be in the order of using microscopes to solder and other methods to produce a product. Microcontrollers are not microelectronics. They only share the part of the name. I have not yet seen a microcontroller that was microscopic, and though some might already exist, they are the rare exception (if you see some, let me know. I would love to get some to play with).
Thus these two areas are about different things. At least, they are different enough to warrant different forums.

I do not see a problem with posting in the wrong area if it is close. If it is not, the moderators have the ability to redirect it. No harm done.

My biggest dissatisfaction are the following type of posts:
1. Posts that degrade someone
2. Posts that tell someone to go elsewhere to find something (Like google)
3. Posts that state something has already been discussed (Like we cannot talk about it anymore?)
4. Posts that tell someone not to build what they are building because they do not agree that it has value. (Many have to build redundant items for a school project or want to build a device to learn something about it)
5. Posts resulting in pages of argument because one does not agree with something posted (instead of a single post that they do not agree.) This is the start of flaming.

I think all moderators on this site should make it a point to delete such posts as soon as they see them. Such posts do not belong on this site. Everyone is welcome to post. I see that we have close to 9,000 members on this site, but I only see posts from a select few. I have been contacted by others with questions on personal messages or by e-mail who are afraid to ask in the forum for fear of being flamed. When a site has 9,000 members and only 20 or less will post, it should be considered a failure. Obviously, there are many who are reluctant to post.

(Alun, thanks for opening the door to this discussion. I think it will be helpful.)

MP

 

[EdwardM]

Hi MP and everyone

I likewise don't see a problem with posting in the wrong area particularly as some projects take in many disciplines and it's often not immediately obvious which way a thread is likely to expand, really it's down to the moderator to organise as they see fit.  It's not uncommon to see MOVED but you're always able to find where the thread has gone.

I've posted in other forums on the net where I thought I had some knowledge/expertise and in one site in particular was almost immediately flamed.  Possibly the 'not invented here syndrome' was operating so I've tended to stay clear since.  How much more difficult it must be for someone whose first language is not English to stand up and say "I don't  know, can someone help", it's one of the beauties of this site that it can be done and whilst we (I mean I) don't always get the answers right, at least we try.  I'm sure also that there are many of the thousands of members who would like to respond to queries but don't because of what they percieve as their poor English, it shouldn't put them off.

I've seen many posts start off with "please excuse poor English", I'm always tempted to reply with "please excuse my non-existant (insert your language here).

Long may this site continue.

All the Best

Ed

 

[audioguru2]

I'm getting many personal messages because the students don't want their teachers to see where the answers are coming from. They have been told not to post questions on internet forums.

I think it is important for members to attempt to find things themselves on Google or Datasheetarchives. HotWaterWizard (John) can't be expected to do it all for them. ;D

 

[Alun]

Alun,
Microelectronics is defined as the branch of electronics that deals with miniature components. 20 years ago, this would have referred to all ICs, but today it refers to microscopic electronics. Conversations regarding this might be in the order of using microscopes to solder and other methods to produce a product. Microcontrollers are not microelectronics. They only share the part of the name. I have not yet seen a microcontroller that was microscopic, and though some might already exist, they are the rare exception (if you see some, let me know. I would love to get some to play with).
Thus these two areas are about different things. At least, they are different enough to warrant different forums.

Fair enough, I can see how the wording of the sections can be confusing. ;D

I do not see a problem with posting in the wrong area if it is close.

I agree, but I think circuit requests are the most commonly mis-posted topic. Someone might request a circuit in theory articles which in my opinion is way off.

If it is not, the moderators have the ability to redirect it. No harm done.

This is already happening more often and I would like to thank the moderators for this.

My biggest dissatisfaction are the following type of posts:
1. Posts that degrade someone

Yes I agree, flaming should not be accepted on this forum. However there is a very big difference between constructive criticism and flaming, something I feel often gets confused.

2. Posts that tell someone to go elsewhere to find something (Like google)

I agree, I think it's good people use this site as their first point of call for help with electronics. But it's good to educate people and show them how to search for things especially this forum.

3. Posts that state something has already been discussed (Like we cannot talk about it anymore?)

I can see your point, just because something's been discussed it doesn't mean we can't discuss it again. Never the less it would make life easier to discourage duplicate threads. For example if some starts another FM transmitter thread it could be appended to the most recent one.

4. Posts that tell someone not to build what they are building because they do not agree that it has value. (Many have to build redundant items for a school project or want to build a device to learn something about it)

I agree also, but I think it's often a good idea to show people an alternative (often superior) design accomplish the same goal along with pointing out any weaknesses in the design they intended to build.

5. Posts resulting in pages of argument because one does not agree with something posted (instead of a single post that they do not agree.) This is the start of flaming.

In my view arguements are a good thing providing they're informative and not personal, and contain only constructive criticism.

I think all moderators on this site should make it a point to delete such posts as soon as they see them. Such posts do not belong on this site.

I agree.

Everyone is welcome to post. I see that we have close to 9,000 members on this site, but I only see posts from a select few. I have been contacted by others with questions on personal messages or by e-mail who are afraid to ask in the forum for fear of being flamed.

I don't think we have a problem with flaming, I think constructive critisim often gets mistaken for flaming.

When a site has 9,000 members and only 20 or less will post, it should be considered a failure. Obviously, there are many who are reluctant to post.

This is often a problem with any forum, most members ask a question here and then leave when they have the answer, this is just a fact of life.

 

[EdwardM]

Hi All

When a site has 9,000 members and only 20 or less will post, it should be considered a failure. Obviously, there are many who are reluctant to post.

MP, forgive me if I take you slightly out of context, but can't agree with the statement that the site should be considered a failure.  I've looked at many community sites recently and this is the ONLY one which consistently has about 20 guests/members on-line at any given time.  Look at the number of views on any topic, even the most obscure has 40 or more and the more popular topics running into thousands of views.  Of course there are many people who are unwilling to post, either from a fear of looking ridiculous or from not feeling they have *enough* expertise to contribute.  Clearly there are at least 8980 members who might like to post but don't do so for these and other reasons.  One of the beauties of this site is that flaming is almost unknown here and so should encourage anyone to contribute. 

Alll the Best

Ed

 

[scottnj]

can't agree with the statement that the site should be considered a failure.

I agree 100% with Ed, I just discovered this forum because I just began working on some projects. I think it is a wonderful source of knowledge. If you want to encourage beginners to post, I suggest adding a newbie category, add a faq as a sticky to it as well as other popular questions.

 

[ante1]

Hi Scott,

I think it’s a great idea to add a newbie category!
It will make it easier to post when someone is uncertain about which discipline he or she should be in.
I think it will encourage posting!
Good thinking Scott! ;D

 

[EdwardM]

Very good thinking  ;D

Ed

 

[Dazza]

Yes, it's definitely a good idea.

 

[cynicmonster]

Hi All

 

[slackjack]

You guys spoke about this about 1 year ago. Where is the newbie section  ;D

 

[hotwaterwizard2]

Digital Microscope  Multiple Listings should be combined

http://www.electronics-lab.com/forum/index.php?topic=7160.0
http://www.electronics-lab.com/forum/index.php?topic=7046.0
http://www.electronics-lab.com/forum/index.php?topic=7045.0
http://www.electronics-lab.com/forum/index.php?topic=7048.0
http://www.electronics-lab.com/forum/index.php?topic=7047.0

 

[hotwaterwizard2]

hestermil Has over 3,000 Advertizing posts!