Microcontroller sub-categories.. What do you think?

[ElectroMaster]

Hi Guys,

I'm just wanting to do a bit of a survey. Do you think the Micro Controllers forum would benefit from having a few sub categories? Maybe creating some for the different processor families.

What are you suggestions?

 

[ElectroMaster]

So far we have 5 votes for each. Does anyone have comments as to why you would or wouldn't want sub-forums?

 

[dknguyen]

I think it just makes it harder to navigate. Too many categories.

 

[monkeybiter]

it would be nice and tidy if posts only referred to a single type, but often they compare different brands [pic/avr etc.] so would be hard to classify.

 

[3v0]

Not often and it is generally not very productive to do so.

A sticky in the main forum could cover comparisons.

3v0

 

[bananasiong]

I can see mostly PIC user in this forum. If it is categorized by brand/company, PIC sub-forum will be crowded.
In PIC processors, 8-bits processors are mostly used. If it is categorized by processor families, 8-bits processors sub-forum will be crowded.
If it is all crowded at the same sub-forum and other sub-forum get ignored, I think it makes no difference..

How about categorized by programming language?

These are just my own opinion. Anyway I voted for yes

 

[kchriste]

I voted yes because:
It would make it easier for users to browse for tips on a specific micros.
Navigation wouldn't be an issue for me because I simply view "New Posts" and use "Subscribed threads" in user CP anyway.

 

[Pommie]

I voted no because there are not many post in the section anyway - about a dozen on a good day. I also think too many sections discourages new posters as they are unsure where to post.

If it's not broken, don't fix it. If someone can explain why it is currently broken, I may change my mind.

Mike.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I voted no as well, the vast majority of posts are PIC related, with a small number of AVR ones, and an even smaller number of all others.

Adding more and more forums and sub-forums just makes it far more difficult to use, and means people post in the wrongs ones even more often.

 

[DirtyLude]

It's not even close to the posting level where it needs to be broken out.

I would suggest toning down on the new forums all together. Get rid of the unused ones. That 'Computers' section was just a bad idea. The more fragmented you make the forum the more difficult it is to navigate and the more fragmented you make the user base.

 

[transistor495]

Do you think the Micro Controllers forum would benefit from having a few sub categories? Maybe creating some for the different processor families.

What are you suggestions?

I voted for 'yes' because it seems like a futuristic update.

 

[ElectroMaster]

Hi Guys, thanks for voting and thanks for explaining why.

There are defiantly a lot of PIC related posts which is a big factor to consider. I guess we could leave the main Micro Controllers forum the same and then just add a few sub forums for the less common types (AVR) like Nigel mentions..

What I am trying to accomplish by this change is to allow some of the smaller micro controller families to get a fair view instead of being a needle in a haystack.. What seems to be happening at the moment is someone can post a topic about a non PIC Micro Controller and within a day it's already on the second page..

What would you guys consider the most commonly discussed Micro Controller families?

1. PIC
2. AVR
3. ???

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

8051 series would probably be next, but almost exclusively from India and Pakistan where presumably they are still using very old equipment in the colleges?.

 

[3v0]

I would favor PIC and NON PIC(OTHER) under microprocessors. We can choose to split off any uC that gets enough traffic and not generate a long list of forums for little used processors.

I have not seen anything I disagree with so far.

The advantage of having more sub forums is that it groups information, it act like an index for the forum.

Once I discovered "New Posts" and "Today's Posts" I stopped reading site forum by forum. I suspect this is true of a lot of people.

Perhaps with the proper selection of forums and sub forums one could generate sticky threads to deal with the questions which are asked on a regular basis.
3v0

 

[3v0]

I am in favor of a code repository under micro controllers.


3v0

 

[ericgibbs]

I am in favor of a code repository under micro controllers.


3v0

That sounds a good idea.

 

[Pommie]

Yes, a code repository would be a good thing.

Mike.

 

[colin mac]

Do you think students might just steal the code though and pass it off as their own?

 

[be80be]

You'll just get more bull then you get now Pic and AVR can't play together,
There will be a lot of arguing Keep Nigel busy

Mike a code repository would be a good. And I know it would help a lot to learn with.

Colin mac don't give any code you don't want some one to have there going to try to pass it off. Can't steal what you give away.

 

[3v0]

Do you think students might just steal the code though and pass it off as their own?

Sure but I do not see that as a reason not to have a repository. The intent is to allow us to more easily share code with each other.