Forum direction ?

[Andy1845c]

People who finish project with our help. Post regarding finished projects.

I'd like to see more of this too. I really enjoy seeing peoples finished projects. I have tried to post a few of mine. I know i posted a topic showing off my finished traffic advisor project that I asked so many questions about, and I posted a couple pictures of my giant variable capacitor in that topic. I want to do a nice write up on my cap/loop antenna project if i ever get it working well. I am still having alot of trouble with it. I haven't given up quite yet though

I think part of the problem is there are the "regulars" here that seem to enjoy reading the topics and replying, and then there are the folks that only come here when they have trouble. Those people really have no incentive to take the time to show off their finished creations.

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

I have noticed that. Kind of a bummer. I was hoping the chat would take off, but there only seems to be about 3 members that pop in once and a while. It would be cool to have a set day of the week and time to have a weekly gathering in there, but it would never work with all the time zones this board spans.

 

[Sceadwian]

You say potato I say potato.
Wait, that particular idiom doesn't work in text =\

The increased number of posts means nothing if the noise floor goes up at the same rate or faster, a simple concept anyone that deals with hifi audio knows. Bigger louder more powerful is not always better.

I've been off the forums for some time now stopping in only occasionally, but I've noticed one thing consistently over the last 2 years or so. Every time I log on, no matter how long it's been the posts are always the same.
Questions about PWM, general motor/stepper driving circuits. A few theoretical questions from people actually curious about electronics which usually fizzle out quickly, and a lot of really bad do my school asigment or be creative for me posts.
Questions about micro controller coding with absolutly no specifics or one sentance to describe a project that likley should have 100-500 lines of code saying fix my broken stuff. Stuff like that. Every now and then real content pops up, but the noise is getting FAR worse.

 

[ericgibbs]

yr nt a yank tho r u eric ?

If 'rough' is pronounced 'ruff' why isnt 'through' pronounced 'thruff'

nay lad I aint a yank.**broken link removed**

A clue:
If tha ever dus owt fo nowt, do it fo the sen.

 

[Mickster]

If tha ever dus owt fo nowt, do it fo the sen.

Tha's not reet far from me sen then, Eric?

 

[AllVol]

I think part of the problem is there are the "regulars" here that seem to enjoy reading the topics and replying, and then there are the folks that only come here when they have trouble. Those people really have no incentive to take the time to show off their finished creations.

I think there's another group of regulars, one that I fit into more than any.

They comprise the group in the right hand column of any menu page, labeled viewers. When I began this reply, there were 23 comments, but 238 viewers, or just about a 10 fold difference. I feel these are people who, like myselft, learned long ago that one can learn more with his mouth closed than with it open.

I wouldn't trade my learning experience provided by members of this board for any set of books.... most I've read are merely what I see on here. Through this forum, I have managed to learn basic electronics from a hobbists standpoint, and can muddle my way through just about any project I want to tackle.

This forum, if I may be so bold, reminds me of an electronic panel of experts standing ready to field selected questions from the audience. If someone poses a question deemed appropriate for discussion, Nigel, Eric, a couple of Mikes, Pommie, Nugent et al (don't be mad if I left you out, I couldn't think of everyone) will be glad to respond.

It is during this process that "eavesdroppers" can benefit from this forum as I have.

On the other hand, I doubt there is that much interest in what the "students" are creating. After learning assembly and delving into PICs, I posted photos of a board demonstrating five PIC projects I had managed to create. It drew exactly two comments.

And isn't it interesting that the most activity on a couple of the boards lately originated with the "Space Varmit" LOL!

My two cents worth.

 

[Andy1845c]

I think there's another group of regulars, one that I fit into more than any.

You have a point there. I am surprised how I don't see certin folks for a while, then all the sudden they pop out of the woodwork when a relivent topic comes up. RadioRon and RODALCO are 2 that come to mind.

I agree there is alot to be learned here by just watching topics. I do that all the time.

Overall I enjoy spending time on this board. I don't see it going in a negitive direction myself. I don't really let the "noise" bother me. I just ignore the pointless posts and follow the ones that strike my interest.

 

[AllVol]

Overall I enjoy spending time on this board. I don't see it going in a negitive direction myself. I don't really let the "noise" bother me. I just ignore the pointless posts and follow the ones that strike my interest.

Really.

I also belong to three other electronics boards, but this is the best, by far.

 

[gerty]

I'd like to echo ALLVol and Andy, I usually don't post unless I think I can help, and usually several have already answered some with much better ideas than mine...

 

[ericgibbs]

Hi 3v0.
This was posted today, it is a classic example of what we are discussing.

i have less than 3 weeks to complete the temprature meter project
i dont even have a complete circuit diagram yet
m in big trouble
n this project is the core unit for me getting into uni next year
a need an GRADE A pass for my uni entry
so plz guys need help in any and every possible way

i am using lm35dz sensor and pic16f716 for my project
the output from pic is to be connected to 3 seven segment displays

i require everything from complete circuit diagram , working principle, pic programing, circuit final pictures, n PROJECT REPORT
JUST EVERTHING
SO someone/ everyone plz help me through this
shall be very thankful to u's

 

[HiTech]

I'd like to see a study done on the above type posters ^^^ to see if they are lazy students from certain countries. Often it seems that they don't bother to indicate where they are from, if any personal info. is included at all. They come in here, ask for the sun, moon, and stars without so much as even a personal introduction.

 

[3v0]

It sure is.

A day or two ago there was an attempt to use forum stastics. I do not recall exactly what it was.

I was forced to take 2 terms of stats in collage as part my my degree. I hated it. The most useful thing I learned is how easily stats can be made to mislead/lie.

It much easier to extract numbers/stats from the forum then it is to determine what they mean.

Suppose for two time periods we extract the number of first time posts and compare how many have N or fewer responses.

All you can say is that in period 1 the number is X and in period 2 the number is Y.

The ratio of X to Y could be influenced by many things.

The amount of spam.
The number of first time posters asking how to build a moon rocket from old toaster ovens.
Student postings asking for excessive help.
Student postings asking for reasonable help.
One or more members who answered many questions are on vacation of left the forum.
Members providing smart-ass answers like "would you like fries with that".​

Even questions like do own a car can be iffy.

Does it belong to you or the mortage company.
Mom and pop bought the car for junior but kept it in
their name so it would not influence student aid.
Mom and pop own the car but are letting junior use it
while away at school.
You paid cousin Vinny $400 for the car but he has not
given you the title.
​

Stats are only as good as the person who generates them.

3v0


3v0

 

[AllVol]

Stats are only as good as the person who generates them.

A recently completed study shows that 47% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

 

[killivolt]

The ******** margin.

A recently completed study shows that 47% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Ha,ha,ha :LOL:

And a 3% ******** margin.

Yur, funny.

kv :

 

[duffy]

No, it's 92%. Here - I have a graph to prove it:

**broken link removed**

 

[3v0]

Do not forget that of the 8% based on data 95% is misrepreseted.

 

[jpanhalt]

I think it is a shame when a member of this forum who tried to add to this discussion based on available data, rather than shear fantasy, is ridiculed in this manner. It is even more shameful when a moderator leads that behavior.

Stats are only as good as the person who generates them.

I have no doubts about my ability to develop, interpret, and use statistical analyses on a daily basis. No one has yet to provide any other interpretation of the data I used or any other data to refute it.

John

 

[DirtyLude]

Regarding the posting of completed projects, maybe there should be a 'show off' section or something. Just showing a completed project seems out of place in the current sections where people are generally seeking help or discussing problems. The Electronic Projects section description says that it's for projects with full plans, and BOM's, and everything you need to make it yourself, which is farther than I would really want to go with a project description, unless someone is really interested. Otherwise you seem to get a lot of 'noise questions about your project from people that just want something easy they can plug together for a school project that obviously show that no research was done prior to asking them.

 

[3v0]

John,
I did not intend to attack you or anyone. I would not do that. My intent was to point out the problems with stats. When I wrote the post I did not recall it was your post. It was not personal. I would have written the same reply regardless of who made the post. As always I could possibly have choosen my words better, but never in my wildest dreams did I see myself spending time defending that post!

I wrote

A day or two ago there was an attempt to use forum stastics. I do not recall exactly what it was.

While this is not an attack on your person I do have problems with what you presented as stats.

After reading your post I had to review both your post and what I said because all I could recall was that I did not agree with the stats.

The quote

Stats are only as good as the person who generates them.

is not unique with me. I heard it from my stats teachers and/or books many years ago. It is one of several statments regarding stats that start with "Stats are only as good as..."

(Most) Everyone can learn how to add two integers and come up with the right answer. With stats it is never that simple.

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:

You should not have drawn the general conclusion

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.

Your sample was not well choosen and the conclusion did not reflect the narrow nature of the sample. You may be right or wrong about the trend but the stats you provided should not be used as proof.

Based on your conclusion you were talking about the forum as a whole. Restricting the sample to one area was questionable (one would first need to prove that area was representive of the entire forum, or the areas of interest). Further restricting the sample to searches with the term motor made it much worse. This is not random or known to be represenative of the forum.

The conclusion only applies to "Electronic Projects Designs/Ideas/Reviews" regarding discussions where motors were mentioned.

This is 10 minutes of my life I will never get back.

3v0

 

[Sceadwian]

Statistics don't lie, data is simply data. Creative interpretation of data has been the bane of science since it's inception. Just look at the circular and self supporting logic of creationists for a detailed explanation of how simple data can be bent to the will of it's user. One of my favorite phrases is "Asumption is the mother of all #@!$ up's"
In science one can not assume ANYTHING, everything has to be proven with data and the data must be clear and concise and not open to interpretation. Bring a human being into the picture like with poles or what not and science goes straight out the window.

 

[tcmtech]

The fact that you all seem to actualy be willing to view this in a open headed way makes me that much more likely to stay here and try to be useful in a positive way. And yes there have been a few things I misquoted or miss informed someone about already too. But I am willing to back up and admit I was wrong or missinformed at that time. Also I like the being able to chat about how this forum is being handled. I have tried to join a few others over the past few years but found them closed minded or too fanatical about what went on there.
American Wind Energy Associaton left me feeling sour for a few years. Someone asked the simple question about how to make more power with his home made genset. I read his suppled info on how it was designed and concluded that a bigger blade set was the simplest way to go. That was it, no complicated math theory on aerodynamics or any thing. just simple common sense!
I got shot all to pieces! What kind of idiot would propose using a bigger blade to catch more wind? aparently I should have answered with three pages of mathematical nonsense and told the poor guy he needs to go to an aerospace engineering company and spend a few hunderd thousand and have them reshape his wood blades to get a theoretical 10% more efficiency.

So far I have not seen that here. Thank you for being realistic on the answers!
I read bunch of back posts before I ever joined in here and got the feel for this forum first.
I too see the back ground noise but its just apart of public chat being publicly accessable.
I am new here and do not know the overall history of how this forum has changed or not.
But I still put this forum heads above most of what else I have seen out on the internet!