POLL: Specific Instruments Forum Section

[EEVblog]

I floated this idea in the 121GW meter forum thread where I unstickied the 121GW meter thread from the test equipment section.

Given there are many specific instruments with very large forum threads, what if once a specific instrument thread gets enough discussion (say 5 pages?) then it gets elevated to a Specific Instruments section (or maybe called Most Discussed Instruments?) where no one is allowed to start a new thread, it just contains stickied specific instruments threads of note.
That way it would be an easier place to find a thread on a specific instrument you are interested in and highlight specifically popularly discussed instruments.
This forum is after all the #1 place in the interwebs for discussing test gear, and countless people come here to discuss a specific instrument. So makes sense to have somewhat of a "database" section of specific test gear threads.

There are probably at least a couple of dozen suitable candidate threads already.

Alternatively, it could just be section where you are only allowed to start a thread if it's on a specific instrument? Otherwise if just goes in the general test equipment section. But I figure that would devalue
the use of such a section and it would just get flooded, hence why I suggested it's an admin thing once a thread has reached a certain level.

EDIT: It just occured to me that they can't all be stickied because that's a fixed order, so best to have an admin thread were only the worthy make it, and the latest commented one goes to the top of the list.

[Fungus]

That way it would be an easier place to find a thread on a specific instrument you are interested in.

It doesn't make it any easier to find specific information inside a huge thread though.

For that you need google (or whatever search engine you use).

If you're using google then having a Specific Instruments section is pointless, so... 

[EEVblog]

That way it would be an easier place to find a thread on a specific instrument you are interested in.

It doesn't make it any easier to find specific information inside a huge thread though.
For that you need google (or whatever search engine you use).
If you're using google then having a Specific Instruments section is pointless, so... 

It's not to help with search, just general thread visibility like how Sticky topics are used.
Or it could be named Most Discussed Instruments section?

[tautech]

From the thread where Dave spawned his idea:

What does everybody think about unpinning the 121GW discussion threads? I love mine, but I think the topics have quieted down enough that maybe we don't need three (or even one) of them pinned anymore. Just a thought...

I've thought that for a while as well.  I'm actually surprised that Dave didn't consider it when announcing the new Brymen meter.  Then I thought it's a Brymen and is going to work....   

The TE thread is popular enough it stays on top so it also makes little sense to me. 

Others threads also seem old and unmaintained and I wonder the same thing.  What makes them worth being sticky?  Seems like it would be reserved.   Info for beginners and rules all make sense to me.    Even a single sticky thread for each of the products Dave markets makes some sense to me, just for the advertisement.   

Not a big deal to leave it.  Dave's site anyway and I enjoy the free use of it.  So, good job Dave!

Dave could easily create another board of EEVblog Products and shift all the threads there and sticky them or whatever.

Well that just lit up an idea. What if there was a Specific Instruments test equipment section where each instrument of note (say several pages is the trigger) got it's own thread and they are all stickied.
It could be an easy go-to section for specific much talked about instruments?
If an ok idea I could make this a specific poll test to see what the general response is?

Yeah well if you examine the current Products board structure there are a few options if you must move stuff around and stir up grumbles where certainly you could add a Specific Instruments board where you could also further divide it into brands.....EEVblog brand instruments too of course.

Maybe a Products> TE Brands> by Brand sub board, each with stickys of certain popular models.
Too much work ?

[EEVblog]

Yeah well if you examine the current Products board structure there are a few options if you must move stuff around and stir up grumbles where certainly you could add a Specific Instruments board where you could also further divide it into brands.....EEVblog brand instruments too of course.

Maybe a Products> TE Brands> by Brand sub board, each with stickys of certain popular models.
Too much work ?

That idea has been shot down by the community before, as you end up with dozens of different boards and people have said they prefer to subscribe to/browse all general test gear threads.
The thing that's different here is that only old threads that have gained a certain level of popularity gets moved over, so that way you don't miss any new threads on the general test gear section and it continues to work as-is.

[tautech]

OK so you'd like to group popular instruments into a single board presumably only to make them easier to find ?

If so then why not just a sticky index thread where not only would links to such worthy threads reside but also list them by brand and/or instrument type ?

Wanting similar for Siglent products I asked them to list all the then current threads here so to make them easier to find:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-technical-support-join-in-eevblog/

[Fungus]

The thing that's different here is that only old threads that have gained a certain level of popularity gets moved over, so that way you don't miss any new threads on the general test gear section and it continues to work as-is.

OK, if the idea is to remove clutter from the general board (ie. not to make the long threads more visible/special) then it might be a good idea.

ie. The longest-running threads will "vanish" from the main board but interested people will still see them because they're subscribed.

[RoGeorge]

A too long thread is useless.  Nobody will read all that 100 pages blurb, no matter how sticky.  Do you ever go to sticky topics on other forums?  I usually don't.

My guess is people find topics by search engines, not by reading a section's sticky topics.  If those instruments are that popular, then they'll float on top anyway with each new post, so no need to make them sticky.

About making yet another section, I think there are already too many sections with so little activity it makes them look like little cemeteries.

Then, if you make some of the topics sticky, you'll impose a fake popularity, with time you'll lock the section in its own fake world, like it happens in a search bubble.  Nobody wants to see a section with tens of sticky topics that never goes away.  That gets old fast.

Maybe keep the GW121 or any other instruments you sell sticky, and that's it.  Let the rest be effervescent.

If it's just the engineer's urge to keep everything well classified and categorized, well, we must resist that OCD.
If it's some other plan than "easy to find", then go ahead and see how it goes. 



IMO you found the winning recipe already, this forum is great as it is, thank you for keeping it running! 

I think it doesn't need any "better experience", any "for your own good" everybody hate so much these days.  It's at its peak.  Therefore I think no matter what, it won't grow much from now on.  Quite contrary given the current trend, because it looks like the western world is going backwards.  It's not the forum, it's the world.

[nctnico]

Yeah well if you examine the current Products board structure there are a few options if you must move stuff around and stir up grumbles where certainly you could add a Specific Instruments board where you could also further divide it into brands.....EEVblog brand instruments too of course.

Maybe a Products> TE Brands> by Brand sub board, each with stickys of certain popular models.
Too much work ?

That idea has been shot down by the community before, as you end up with dozens of different boards and people have said they prefer to subscribe to/browse all general test gear threads.
The thing that's different here is that only old threads that have gained a certain level of popularity gets moved over, so that way you don't miss any new threads on the general test gear section and it continues to work as-is.

Such threads tend to get outdated relatively quickly.

I second what RoGeorge wrote. There are way too many forum sections already.

[tv84]

Just to add that I see many people come in the forum to see comparisons and experiences with several equipments/brands.

That makes individual equipment stickies totally useless and permanently outdated.

My head aches just trying to imagine in which sticky thread I'll be searching/posting/following my favorite msgs. I never go into stickies.

As the previous posters mentioned, the best is as it is.

Better, only by improving the search engine or leaving it totally open to Google crawlers (they are the best in the business).

This forum is after all the #1 place in the interwebs for discussing test gear, and countless people come here to discuss a specific instrument.

Maybe the reason is because this is the best format.

BTW, the TEA thread as sticky is  . But that is an example of a correct sticky.

Even GW121 threads shouldn't be sticky in this day and age. They give an appearance of "regional/limited" forum just intended in promoting such equipment when this forum is much more than that. It contains an infinite amount of info about an equal number of equipments ranging all the price spectrum.

PS: Remember, this is the best because of people's opinions/experiences NOT because it's an organized repository of equipment's datasheets or BS marketing videos!

I vote no.

[Ian.M]

The place for instrument specific pages and even lists of relevent forum threads is on your wiki.  However you need to get the long-term loyal users to engage more with the wiki.  I would suggest giving users above a particular post count, or supporters page creation rights there.  If anyone abuses the privilege, rescind their rights on the wiki.

[bdunham7]

I don't think having them stickied is going to work, but I do like the idea.

The question is what sort of thread or post should be designated an equipment-specific one vs some other sort?  There are the long, running threads that meander across many subtopics, but are all device-specific.  Take the FeelTech AWG thread(s) for example.  The other might be a relatively short thread where the OP does a teardown, writeup or some other extensive commentary about a specific item.  I plan on doing one myself that I think might be interesting to read but would be pretty arcane and isn't going to generate 5 pages of comments.  One type is essentially a popular information and help thread the other just some interesting reading for a very few people.

[TiN]

Mixing all threads about , say, 3458A, would move discussions from repair, metrology, buy/sale parts into one forum, which might be more confusing at first.

Maybe using some "keyword tags" about specific instruments would be better idea? E.g. threads stay where they are , but there would be some button in thread like "Show all [XXXX]-related threads" that is essentially a custom search that shows all XXXX instrument threads?

[ralphrmartin]

What would be more useful, perhaps, would be to split the "Test Equipment" board into a few more specific boards, perhaps:
Multimeters
Oscilloscopes / Logic Analyzers (because of MSOs)
Spectrum Analysers / Vector Network Analyzers
Frequency Meters / Waveform Generators
Other Test Equipment

While you are at it, Other Equipment could also be split into
Soldering Equipment
Programmers (perhaps)
Hand Tools
Other Equipment

[shakalnokturn]

I like the idea in the sense that it sounded more efficient to find specific information, but as others have said things may already be at their best as-is.
It seems that things get cluttered fast because a lot of similar topics on a same instrument are opened regularly when sometimes searching and following up on an existing topic would make more sense.

I find TiN's has a good alternative idea. Maybe search engine and database that can be updated or corrected by members.

[bdunham7]

Mixing all threads about , say, 3458A, would move discussions from repair, metrology, buy/sale parts into one forum, which might be more confusing at first.

It would put the burden on the OP to determine whether the post and resultant thread should be considered dedicated to that particular model of instrument or is a more general--or just different--discussion that happens to involve it.  The way I would see it working is for only those discussions that are clearly dedicated to one particular instrument--like a teardown/review or a comprehensive repair/restoration--would be put in this new category.

[TiN]

Adding few keywords into additional optional box when thread is created does not feel like much burden? Also can be automagical (e.g. threads where XXXX mentioned over 25 times). Often related threads about bigger stuff also worth to include in search output. Say one looking for recommendation to buy particular instrument XXXX and seeing it show up in other projects involving XXXX (but not dedicated specifically about XXXX) can be a good source of info. After all there is lot of offtopic in various hot threads, where XXXX is praised (or blamed).

It also shouldn't be manual process, as that definately adds lot of overhead and moderators might not be familiar or know about XXXX enough to judge if thread relate enough or not for inclusion.

[bdunham7]

Adding few keywords into additional optional box when thread is created does not feel like much burden?

I'm not objecting to the burden either way.  I'm just wondering how wide a net to cast when including threads in a instrument-specific category.  I recently made two posts that were about specific instruments--the Fairchild 7000A DMM and the Fluke 5101B calibrator--but the questions were about replacing an old op-amp and troubleshooting a specific circuit.  I wouldn't have wanted those to be in an instrument-specific forum or thread because the the discussion is really about something else.  In each case, people who maybe wouldn't be so interested in the equipment itself gave me some ideas--and even an old ADO-26B op amp in the mail.  OTOH, I might write up something on the 7000A as I'm fixing it up entirely and I think it is a fascinating piece of equipment for historical reasons.  That would definitely belong in the category proposed.

[rsjsouza]

Given there are many specific instruments with very large forum threads, what if once a specific instrument thread gets enough discussion (say 5 pages?) then it gets elevated to a Specific Instruments section (or maybe called Most Discussed Instruments?)

Although knowing that I am the minority, I personally like to browse the forum and would be in favour of such section - my suggestion for the name: "Top gear". 😁

[Brumby]

I recently made two posts that were about specific instruments--the Fairchild 7000A DMM and the Fluke 5101B calibrator--but the questions were about replacing an old op-amp and troubleshooting a specific circuit.

In that case, I might suggest you post your comments in a thread which would be appropriate under the current structure - and then add links to those comments for the pieces of equipment that have the same circuitry in each of their respective equipment specific threads.

This could apply to an unconstrained list of equipment sharing common circuitry with only one copy of the relevant material.

For this to become effective, however, anybody responding to such material would need to be mindful of where their post should appear - in the thread with the common material or in the equipment specific thread.

[Brumby]

If those instruments are that popular, then they'll float on top anyway with each new post, so no need to make them sticky.

About making yet another section, I think there are already too many sections with so little activity it makes them look like little cemeteries.

I do not see the "popularity" element relevant at all.  I see the 'sticky' section as a place where threads are promoted when they demonstrate the usefulness this idea is presenting.  Incidental or irrelevant threads started on such a board (which is going to happen) will remain outside the sticky area which will prevent the sticky area - the area of focused interest - from being diluted.

[Brumby]

Such threads tend to get outdated relatively quickly.

That makes individual equipment stickies totally useless and permanently outdated.

Sorry, but both of these comments - and any others of similar sentiment - are completely irrelevant.

If I'm looking up information on my HP3478A, I don't care if the last post was 5 years ago.  The information will either be right or wrong - it will never be outdated.

[Brumby]

Having said all the above, I'm ambivalent about the idea.

[Fungus]

I like the idea in the sense that it sounded more efficient to find specific information

That's not what Forums are for. Forums are a place to hang out and shoot the breeze.

You want a web page with information about a specific instrument? Set up a Wiki.

[DavidAlfa]

A thread for each brand seems like a good idea, this sections is clearly overflowed.
Only popular ones, ex. Siglent, Tektronik, HP, Keysight, Hantek.... then a generic thread for the rest.