Subforum for support/discussion on custom hardware/firmware

[bpiphany]

Every now and then I receive questions on hardware/firmware issues on my own controllers or Teensy based keyboards. I don't think I am always the best person to answer those.. Having a dedicated sub-forum in the workshop category would perhaps be useful? There people with the same problem could help each other out with tips, tricks and solutions.

[Muirium]

This came up a few months ago:

http://deskthority.net/deskthority-rela ... ml#p123755

I'm in favour, for browsing's sake alone. Perhaps we need tags (the kind you can apply an arbitrary number of to the same thread) or some other system better than plain search*, to help organise the world of untold complexity that is the workshop. We have the hardware / software divide, builds vs. mods, ergo keyboards vs. compacts vs. every size, split ergos vs. all in ones etc. etc. etc.

*The way I use search, bizarrely, is to remember some dumb keyword that might not have anything to do with the subject; because it's got to be rare enough not to turn up a ton of false positives. One example is whenever I wanted to link to Matt3o's epic group build thread, instead of generic but logical words like "build", I searched for "prototyping". (The "ing" is important.) And even that doesn't work so well now! Once I've dug up the same thread enough times, I'll add a browser bookmark. But that's so 1990s, and gets just as unwieldy.

[matt3o]

the fact is that we are using the forum not just for discussion but also for reviews (and lenghty ones), tutorials, group buys, ...

I feel phpbb is not that good at that and not even intended for that purpose. I doubt that adding more sections would make things easier. Actually I find myself lost when I enter new forums and find dozens of sections (and you never know where to post).

There would be a solution imho but I'm not even going to mention it So far the best for me is

https://www.google.com/search?q=firmwar ... hority.net

[Muirium]

Actually I find myself lost when I enter new forums and find dozens of sections (and you never know where to post).

That's absolutely true. When I was first checking out DT, I had a look at GH, too, but the forum hierarchy was a major negative point. And then all those egregious sigs and avatars…

Search is great for initial discovery. But categorisation is a different concept. Tags might help, if we had some infrastructure.

[Halvar]

I think one the better features of phpBB is the handy "Search this topic" box on every topic page. It's possible to find things even in longer threads.

That's why I favor one long support thread for every piece of custom hardware/software, like Soarer has it for each of his projects. Yes it does still get confusing, but you at least know where to search without too many false positives.

It's harder to do if the author of the hardware/software isn't as present as Soarer is, or isn't present at all. Maybe marking such threads more clearly as "the" support thread by a good OP and making them sticky could help. This is one of the things you'd have moderators for if we didn't not want that job for other reasons.

[wheybags]

I find categories on forums completely useless, because I always browse them via the "unread posts" page, so I never even know what category I'm looking at.

[7bit]

What about a sticky thread?

I hate sub-forums. We have a few in the black section which should be moved back to the surface.

[Muirium]

Yes: the banner photography thread!

I'm with Wheybags on navigation. The forum spy is my primary DT interface. I'll only browse, or just as likely search, if I have something specific to look up. And then get tangled on false positives. Tried getting a quick link to Soarer's Controller, lately? It's not a sticky thread like his Converter, and the name isn't sufficiently unique for search to work well.

Then again, too many stickies becomes a problem in itself. They are false positives whenever you browse.

Discoverability is a complex little beast.

[7bit]

What about:
A 2nd workshop for threads about important things, like Soarer's Controller.
And the current workshop for the "look how I made my own keyboard" or "How do I do this and that, help please!"-threads.

[matt3o]

why not a sticked thread with a list of all "important" stuff that can be found around?

[webwit]

Still looking for a forum master to handle this kind of thing.
http://deskthority.net/club-management-f40/

[7bit]

Yes, here.

[matt3o]

if people help me I'm available at caring of a "Workshop index".

"Forum master" is a bit too much I believe to give to one person (if I read it correctly)

[webwit]

Forum master is a great position. You don't have to worry about hardware, you don't have to worry about software, you don't have to worry about finances, and we almost have no moderation. Also, 7bit is already part of your team.

[matt3o]

it's a forum admin+moderator if I read it correctly. Honestly I've never seen it needed so far (the moderator especially) unless you are doing it so well that it's basically invisible.

[7bit]

Most of moderation is to delete double posts, or move a thread to the correct forum, or edit out other people's e-mail addresses.

[matt3o]

so basically we have no moderation at all right now?

[7bit]

Right!

[bpiphany]

I've been frequenting completely flat forums with no categories whatsoever, only one big list of topics. That works great sometimes. But I think in this case a subforum or category or tag or whatever you like to call it would emphasize there is a section where you can find help when your custom controller hangs up, hardware or software problems alike. Custom projects are becoming more and more frequent, overlapping use of hardware and firmware from time to time. he point being there guaranteed is people more knowledgeable than me both at hardware design as well as software... And someone else may recognize a problem they already know how to solve. The workshop category is a bit wide. That's just my thoughts, and if it is already being discussed that sounds great =)

[webwit]

It's an ANARCHY!

Forum master also "promotes" the forum and takes initiatives, all to increase participation. For example, if we didn't have the DTA Awards, that would be something a forum master starts or motivates if someone else has the idea. A new idea would be to kick life into the News & reviews section so that people actively post more news. Stuff like that. It's up to the forum master whether and what to delegate.

[Soarer]

All the important stuff

http://deskthority.net/search.php?keywords=&terms=all&author=Soarer&fid[]=7&sc=1&sf=firstpost&sr=posts&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

Hmm, that search url has [] in it, so I can't make it clickable

[matt3o]

It's an ANARCHY!

Forum master also "promotes" the forum and takes initiatives, all to increase participation. For example, if we didn't have the DTA Awards, that would be something a forum master starts or motivates if someone else has the idea. A new idea would be to kick life into the News & reviews section so that people actively post more news. Stuff like that. It's up to the forum master whether and what to delegate.

it's a big responsibility. I can do my part but I doubt one person can do all of that.

Actually a while back I proposed a quick script to highlight active GBs ( http://lab.cubiq.org/dt/gb.php ), I believe those little tools could be useful if well integrated in the current system.

[webwit]

I still need to finish this mod sometime which turns prefixes into subtabs:
http://deskthority.net/deskthority-rela ... t2396.html

[7bit]

I suggest to move the "Deskthority wiki talk" down to DESKTHORITY,* so we can have an extra Workshop section where things like "XT/AT/PS2/Terminal to USB Converter with NKRO" or "How to build your very own keyboard firmware" can go.

I also suggest to move "Archive" from OTHER to DESKTHORITY and move "Post your deskthority header images here" to a sticky thread of "Photos & videos".


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*) "DESKTHORITY CLUB" should be renamed to just "DESKTHORITY".

[webwit]

By lack of forum master I leave this up to the club members to decide. I'm sure you can do it 7bit agreed to be part of the forum master's team (he isn't forum master because of his efforts in group buys which takes lots of his time), so he can implement whatever you decide as phpBB admin.