New Off Topic Hobbies Section

[EEVblog]

I also found it a little weird that "computing" and the low-traffic "EDA/CAD" sections were above "EEVblog-specific", on the EEVblog forum of all places

The forum started as a place to just discuss the EEVblog videos, but it's quickly became it's own forum.
There are many on here who really don't care about, or even know about the videos.

[beanflying]

There are now two standout sections with less than 1000 posts. Robotics and Automation, and Mechanical Engineering. Maybe a merge?

Given Robotics and Automation has been around for a while now and a bunch of the topics are borderline in that category for a start maybe a quick look and move some threads into more appropriate sections.

The 'Automation' topics make sense to include in Mech Eng as they will likely tend to Control Systems and mechanical devices doing real world tasks.

The 'Robotics' bit is a bit murky as it covers toy $30 robot kits to Boston Dynamics toys the lower end has more or less Zero to do with Mech Eng while the upper end is a very high end control system and refined mechanics. Or the ridiculous side of it is self driving cars are technically Robots and do they belong in Mech Eng or ? Or is it best to not have a Robots section at all?

And should General Chat board go up the very top before Beginners?
This is after all an Electronics forum, and the general chat section is for general electronics/technical chat.
Although IIRC the argument before for not havign General Chat at the top was so people would see and use the other categories before they consider GC?
And the General section renamed to something else perhaps?   

Putting it above 'Beginners' could give the impression that the forum is about General Rambles instead of more educational and projects/problems/advice.  small edit I see you amended your initial post a bit so you are sort of down this track I guess.

[RoGeorge]

IMO smashing computers topics in subforums is a mistake.

With each day, computers and software becomes more important everywhere in EE, while the electronics skills of the past are externalized, or maybe simulated.  Not many will ask about how to etch PCB, but will ask about Kicad or computer skills needed in PCB design.  Same most are using modules or assembly factories, not many will solder SMD parts.

Instead of a 555, today we'll rather need to know how to program a microcontroller instead so it will do like a 555, instead of soldering a TH thermistor and use a uA-meter to measure temperature we'll need to use a digital sensor, therefore a microcontroller, therefore a computer to program it.  Even soldering stations have computers inside these days, many times with Linux or at least with a smaller RT OS.  Things like this.

The trend is to put a computer in anything, therefore I'll expect to see inmportance of computers growing even more in the future.



TL;DR not pretending I know better, not demanding to do what I like, my mind splits the categories this way:
(draft only, rearranged + added "Science", I hope I didn't remove anything by mistake)
Electronics
    - Beginners
    - Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
    - Repair
    - Metrology
    - RF, Microwave, Ham Radio

Digital and EDA
    - Microcontrollers
    - FPGA
    - PCB/EDA/CAD

Computers
    - Programming
    - Administration
    - Networking & Wireless
    - Security

    - Mobiles
    - Embedded Computing
    - Vintage Computing

Other tech
    - Machining
    - 3D Printing
    - Robotics and Mechatronic

Teardowns and Reviews
    - Test Equipment
    - Other Equipment & Products
    - Crowd Funded Projects
    - Dodgy Technology

EEVblog
    - Supporters Lounge
    - EEVblog Specific
    - Other Blogs
    - The AmpHour Radio Show
    - News/Suggestions/Help

Offtopic
    - General Technical Chat
    - Science (Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, etc.)

    - Buy/Sell/Wanted
    - Contests & Events
    - Jobs, want to work or to hire

    - Drunk and Cooking 

[Shock]

RoGeorge,
The Computer and EDA forums are still there. What you are suggesting adds about a third to the size of the forums list for no gain in usability for most forum members. That is before you include descriptions and white space, once you do that it almost doubles. People coming to the forums (unless they are regulars, who know the forum layout well) don't want to hunt through massive lists to find topics, even on a mobile phone - too many swipes.

Dave,
General Technical Chat is in the best spot where it is (the large forums balanced throughout). If you want to move and merge a couple (so it's less top heavy), how about these two under "Other Equipment & Products". It makes sense, you have the test gear, thermal, then soldering and tools, manufacturing and assembling the pcb then machining the housing or any other fabrication or automation discussion.

"Manufacturing & Assembly"
Manufactured or Home Brewed PCBs. Assembly methods Reflow or Pick & Place etc.

"Mechanical & Automation Engineering"
Machining, Fabrication, Robotics, CNC and other automation.

[RoGeorge]

I don't think this forum should be reorganized for the laziness of mobile scrolling, because EE (for either work or hobby) requires a desktop/laptop PC, not a mobile.

Mobile posting will rather dilute the forum with short bloat comments.  From a mobile one can barely type punctuation.

[tggzzz]

I don't think this forum should be reorganized for the laziness of mobile scrolling, because EE (for either work or hobby) requires a desktop/laptop PC, not a mobile.

Mobile posting will rather dilute the forum with short bloat comments.  From a mobile one can barely type punctuation.

Very true.

[Ed.Kloonk]

An EE forum where it's users argue about what truly is signal and what is noise.

Grand.
 

[EEVblog]

I don't think this forum should be reorganized for the laziness of mobile scrolling, because EE (for either work or hobby) requires a desktop/laptop PC, not a mobile.
Mobile posting will rather dilute the forum with short bloat comments.  From a mobile one can barely type punctuation.

It's not for mobile scrolling, it's also for desktop. I hate having to scroll, the more compact it is the better IMO. I like how it's shorter now.

[EEVblog]

It makes sense, you have the test gear, thermal, then soldering and tools, manufacturing and assembling the pcb then machining the housing or any other fabrication or automation discussion.

"Manufacturing & Assembly"
Manufactured or Home Brewed PCBs. Assembly methods Reflow or Pick & Place etc.

"Mechanical & Automation Engineering"
Machining, Fabrication, Robotics, CNC and other automation.

I like that. Done. We Robotics now merged to "Mechanical & Automation Engineering", giving us one less category.

[EEVblog]

RoGeorge,
The Computer and EDA forums are still there. What you are suggesting adds about a third to the size of the forums list for no gain in usability for most forum members. That is before you include descriptions and white space, once you do that it almost doubles. People coming to the forums (unless they are regulars, who know the forum layout well) don't want to hunt through massive lists to find topics, even on a mobile phone - too many swipes.

I agree, visually is harder and adds no value.
The catgerogies are mostly all still there but now it doesn't look as overwhelming.
I can however see an argument for putting Embedded computing under the Electronics section just under Microcontrollers instead of beign a child category under the Computing section? 

[magic]

One remaining point of confusion is "programming". Maybe it should be renamed "software development" or something?

Problems:
IIRC it occasionally receives MCU-specific questions which would be answered faster and better by the crowd from "microcontrollers" board.
It occasionally receives questions about physical programming of flash memories, MCUs and the like and all the related computer software and dongles, which really is quite a different topic than 99% of the content on that board. I'm not even sure where those questions should go?

edit
Or maybe it's not a big deal; I just tried to find some examples of such threads in "programming" and had to go back half a year.
Still, not sure what would be the best place for a topic like flashing SPI memories or vintage EEPROMs?

[tggzzz]

These changes in the taxonomy will be better in some ways and worse in others; that's always the case.

For my part my interaction is rarely with the "front page", but is via:

• "unread replies", for posts that probably interest me
• "unread posts", for new topics that might just interest me
• searching via google or the "search in topic" mechanism

so I won't notice any changes in the taxonomy.

[sandalcandal]

Just dropping by to say I like the updated organisation of topics/boards 

[EEVblog]

Just dropping by to say I like the updated organisation of topics/boards 

I like it too, it's more organised and compact.

[EEVblog]

Still, not sure what would be the best place for a topic like flashing SPI memories or vintage EEPROMs?

When in doubt post in the General Chat section, and often we'll get a report from someone that it really belongs in X section.

[jonovid]

Im ok with a section dedicated to mechanical engineering and or woodworking and or motor vehicles be it electric or internal combustion 2 , 3,  4 or more wheels!
or aircraft and or watercraft. particularly if its a DIY project.       cooking is ok with me if its DIY robotic gadgets for household chores.

[Shock]

Mechanical & Automation Engineering
Machining, Fabrication, Robotics, CNC and other automation.

[RoGeorge]

I just tried to find some examples of such threads in "programming" and had to go back half a year.
Still, not sure what would be the best place for a topic like flashing SPI memories or vintage EEPROMs?

It happens that I've just read yesterday an SPI memory, with only an ancient Raspberry Pi 1 B (256MB RAM), some wires, and a few lines of Python. 
I can post it as a project if it helps.



Regarding which section to search, a google search inside the EEVblog only (add \$site:eevblog.com\$) might return better results, e.g. by typing in the search box something like this:

program SPI flash EEPROM vintage site:eevblog.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=program+SPI+flash+EEPROM+vintage+site:eevblog.com

[beanflying]

I just tried to find some examples of such threads in "programming" and had to go back half a year.
Still, not sure what would be the best place for a topic like flashing SPI memories or vintage EEPROMs?

It happens that I've just read yesterday an SPI memory, with only an ancient Raspberry Pi 1 B (256MB RAM), some wires, and a few lines of Python. 
I can post it as a project if it helps.



Regarding which section to search, a google search inside the EEVblog only (add \$site:eevblog.com\$) might return better results, e.g. by typing in the search box something like this:

program SPI flash EEPROM vintage site:eevblog.com
https://www.google.com/search?q=program+SPI+flash+EEPROM+vintage+site:eevblog.com

Dave installed a small plugin I suggested some time ago that does that without needing to add the url and site bit. Use the top right search bar and pull down and select Google. SMF's native search is one of its weak points although the advanced search has some good filters to help narrow it.

[RoGeorge]

Nice, thanks!   

I thought "Google" selected from the forum's search will do a normal search, didn't know it was set to search inside EEVblog, so never tried it before.  Thought, the forum's search box doesn't remember the engine in new pages, it has to be selected each time.



Another way would be to define a keyword bookmark link (Firefox can do that):
- select the prefered search engine inside the EEVlog searchbox
- right click inside the search box
- from the contextual menu choose "Add a Keyword for this search"

As triggering keyword, pick something short and easy to type, preferably a single letter, let's say "e", from eevblog.

Now open a new Firefox tab (CTRL+T), then type in the address bar:
e SPI flash programmer
and hit Enter.  That will summon the EEVblog search box, and the Google search is bounded to look inside EEVblog.



Yet another way would be to use the KDE launcher feature, for those using KDE Plasma on top of Linux or BSD, and to define the search link in KDE, so it will work with any web browser, but it might be trickier to set a keyworded search inside the KDE's Application Launcher.



Such shortcuts of one letter, a space, followed by the search words are very handy to use in switching searching engines or places.  I'm using these for things like word definition searches ("w" for "Webster" search, "c" for Collins), or to specify the engine ("g" for Google, "d" for DuckDuckGo), or in programming help ("s" for Stackoverflow, etc.), and now I'll add a new one, "e" for EEVblog.   

I've seen this trick (one letter followed by the words to be searched) first introduced by the old Opera browser (before Opera 12).  Up to v12, the Opera devteam came with many other revolutionary innovation in web browsing.  I think browsing tabs was also their invention, reopen last tabs, single letter prepend to select the search engine, search from the URL address bar, integrated mouse gesture for navigation, webpages saved locally as a single file, and so on.  Opera was very innovative until v12, when they decided to abandon their own code and just adapt an open web-engine like anybody else.