Forum direction ?

[3v0]

Not so long ago the forum was a group of people helping each other. Most new posters were people intersted in electronics.

I am not sure when or how it happend but things have changed. There seem to be a few long time members answering questions for students, idots who are too lazy to learn, and people wanting free engineering.

It feels like the new members are a faceless hord looking for a handout. Is this correct or have I become jaded?

3v0

 

[Sceadwian]

Seems about right to me. There's not a lot of activity in projects anymore, either that or I lose them in all the other noise.

 

[Mike_2545]

If you look at the stats, at any given time there are around 1000 people viewing the forum. I came here because I want to learn and share my passion with others.

There are a lot of people looking for someone to do their work for them, so its easy to become jaded, equally easy to ignore them. Sometime its fun to help them out, without giving them the answers, just point them in the right direction.

 

[jpanhalt]

I have not really sensed much change in the time I have been a member (June 2006). The panicked, "need the project done for me tomorrow" posts are seasonal. There is alway a background of single-post posters who neither provide additional information to the scant information in their original posts nor apparently continue on with their projects.

John

 

[gabeNC]

I've been watching the forum for a couple of months before I joined. I do notice the "noise floor" is pretty high, but like jpanhalt said it's probable seasonal.

I fall into the category of electronics being a hobby. I don't need it for work, I graduated college a long time ago and i enjoy my day job so i'm not interested in pursuing EE. Just a healthy curiosity and desire to learn.

There are a few buttholes that reply to posts but due to the sheer amount of people asking for free engineering I don't blame them. The experts seem to really know their stuff and their websites with free tutorials are fantastic. Thanks guys and girls (dknguyen would you like to have dinner? hahahaha) for all that you do!

 

[killivolt]

Reading posts are most of my past time.

I have been reading posts for a long time and most of the stuff I read is far above me.

But, when Eric takes a 2nd year student not afraid to ask a question and directs him in a peaceful instruction which will further there understanding. It becomes beneficial for all un-able to ask or un-willing. Hopefully that student will be able to take from that and pay it forward to someone in their class or maybe even on this site.

Electronics is my Hobby and living on the fringe is my only way to exist. If I gain more time during the day to further my knowledge I will. I'm actually thinking of taking some math classes and maybe getting a book with basic electronics. It would be great if I could frame a question properly.

I think in a lot of way's this site does much more than you will ever fully realize or comprehend. With all the recent layoffs and people who are looking for something just anything it may be their only retreat.

With the right people leading the way I think this site has a greater potential over most sites I've seen.


kv

 

[HiTech]

Hopefully 3VO, you aren't including the threads in this **** Chat forum in your assumptions. For the most part, it seems that the other forum categories seem to be operating properly... I don't see much rubbish ... I would think Nigel would be trimming such non-sense if it really were a problem.

 

[duffy]

This forum is a long way from hitting bottom. I watched the Usenet electronics forum slowly degenerate into a load of creationist rants and spam over the years.

The thing that depresses me with Electro-Tech-Online are the women carrying batteries on their heads.

 

[3v0]

@HiTech
I did not have the ****-chat area in mind and Nigel does an exclent job of keeping rubbish in its place.

What I am talking about is the motivation behind people posting for the first time. It seems less people are here to learn electronics or join the community. More for a quick fix or a handout.

In my mind there are indicators that tell when the forum is working well. People asking increasingly difficult questions (they are learning). People who finish project with our help. Post regarding finished projects.

It seems that less of that is happening.

@duffy
I did not suggest the forum had hit bottom or was going to do so. But I am concerned about the direction.

3v0

 

[duffy]

I've noticed that lack of posts regarding finished projects, too. Seems like they would want to post results, pictures, etc.

 

[ericgibbs]

The number of first time posts seems to have increased recently.

Lots of obvious classwork questions.

I dont mind helping on any project where possible, but the point that irritates the most, is the OP who will not answer a question asked by a helper.

Also when you think you a near a solution, the OP says 'oh I should have mentioned Im not using 'abc' device but 'xyz', wasting everones time.

The Chat Forum is little used, even there, we are getting non forum posters asking tech questions,

 

[GonzoEngineer]

I am a new member, and I visit everyday. I have learned some good things here just by reading.

I admit I am a grumpy old curmudgeon, and don't have a lot of patience for young folks demanding that someone do their work. But sometimes you get a young kid with the right attitude, and it feels good to help them.

I have been mentoring kids in electronics for years, and it is very rewarding. Some of them have turned into outstanding Engineers.

But working with kids face to face is not like working with them on the internet. You have to seperate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[ericgibbs]

I admit I am a grumpy old curmudgeon, and don't have a lot of patience for young folks demanding that someone do their work. But sometimes you get a young kid with the right attitude, and it feels good to help them.

I have been mentoring kids in electronics for years, and it is very rewarding. Some of them have turned into outstanding Engineers.

Hi Gonzo,
I agree with that, there are some potential engineers amongst the crowd.

I'd hate to put one down, thru applying a general ' he's just a kid' rule..

 

[jpanhalt]

First-time posts may simply represent increasing membership. As most members have very few posts (i.e., <10), if membership increases at a fixed or increasing percentage per year, one might get the perception of increasing numbers of first-time posts.

I did a brief study to see whether the percentage of low-response posts was increasing. Using advanced search, I searched "Electronic Projects Designs/Ideas/Reviews" for the common term, "motor." Data for number of posts and replies for 1 year ago and before versus 1 year ago and later are presented here:

Form those data, I do not see any trend for an increasing number of single posts. In fact, the proportion of posts with multiple replies has increased, if the differences are significant. One interpretation of that is that we have become more communicative and, hopefully helpful, not less so.

A more legible version of the Table is attached in pdf.

John

 

[Sceadwian]

You can't look at a forum's posting numbers like that and get any useful data out of it. You'd have to read every post and subjectively determine weather or not those responses are informative or if the original poster learned something as opposed to got an answer to an A + B = C question.

 

[3v0]

As Erick said it is upsetting when the OP wanting help does not answer questions or provide info needed to help. Even if they favor one members solution over another they should still answer all questions.

I think there has also been an increase of threads with meaningless titles "help me" and code listing without code tags. In the past anyone who posted without code tags were informed how to use them. Not so much anymore.

These texting/SMS bug me, perhaps more then they should.

3v0

 

[jpanhalt]

You can't look at a forum's posting numbers like that and get any useful data out of it.

Well, I guess we disagree. Although the data don't show whether the OP's are idiots or interested in electronics, they do show there has not been an increase in posts with 4 or fewer responses. In fact, I think the trend to have 6 or more responses is a good sign and may show more lively discussion on that sub-forum than existed more than a year ago.

In any event, I think one can make limited and valid conclusions from that data (as above), which is better than just guessing.

John

 

[jpanhalt]

@3V0

I agree completely about the language and texting. One that really bugs me is "ne1" or "neone". I would go so far as to recommend that spell check be mandatory. We all have been guilty of occasional misspelled words, but to simply ignore them allows the practice to flourish and diminishes the value of searches.

John

 

[ericgibbs]

hi John,
As you say we all 'okkasionally' mis-spell while typing., that I dont mind, at least you can follow what the persons saying

Its the posters who cannot make an effort to type the words in full, ie:textspeak

There are some words in the English language which IMO should be changed.

The word 'through' comes to mind.. I confess I use 'thru'

 

[picbits]

The word 'through' comes to mind.. I confess I use 'thru'

yr nt a yank tho r u eric ?