off topic requests

[temtronic]

Perhaps it's time to add an 'off topic / aka NOT CCS C' forum ?

We've all seen lots of requests for information that aren't C related but do deal with PICs like power supplies,signal conditioning,'weird' chips, etc.

just asking

Jay

[Ttelmah]

Agreed.
I've answered a couple, since I considered them 'harmless'. In some ways a quick answer is the easiest way to deal with these, but some have become very far 'off topic', and do rather spoil the point of the main forum.

Best Wishes

[gpsmikey]

I think that is a good idea. Many things while not necessarily CCS specific are certainly still very closely tied to using PICs and CCS. In the big PC world, there tends to be "hardware" and "software" (and other "stuff"), but down at the PIC level, it all has to play together and is often done by the same person.

mikey
_________________
mikey
-- you can't have too many gadgets or too much disk space !
old engineering saying: 1+1 = 3 for sufficiently large values of 1 or small values of 3

[ezflyr]

Hi all,

I disagree! I think one of the beauties of the CCS forum is that it is (mostly) 'on-topic', and is not cluttered with a lot of junk unrelated to the compiler. There are plenty of forums for general purpose electronic info/questions, so why entertain them here also? I think the narrow focus of this forum is one of it's major strengths!

If the forum is opened up to general purpose questions, every Tom, Dick and Harry is going to parachute in here after a Google search...... I realize you're all advocating a separate category for this questions, but still I think it's a bad idea.....

John

[notbad]

Hi
Dear ezflyr.
I know I'm not in position to post in this thread, but do you suggest that a little off-topic questions should not be asked here at all?
Or are you saying that a section shouldn't be dedicated to them?

[Humberto]

I do not share the idea of opening a section of 'off topic' to derive all those questions that are not directly related to CCS, C and PIC MCU's,
the primary reason is how to manage so many different topics, given the wide range of topics that may generate in the future.

There are many forums that may answer most of the 'off topic' consultations received in this forum, it might be better to derive a query to a forum you know.
On the other hand, one of the best qualities of this forum is that 90% of all queries have had a solution, so it is an issue that is closed.

We have put much effort into keeping this forum 'on topic', hence this is an unvaluable material of reference, due the excellent level of the answers given
by the professionals members of this forum. My 2 cents.
_________________
Humber

[Ttelmah]

Key is though, where you draw the line.

Possibly less than 1% of the posts here are really to do with "CCS C". The majority of the rest are PIC hardware, general C etc.. It's a very 'blurred' edge. Often all the better for it!. I find the _occasional_ well off topic post, not a problem. Far less annoying than the huge number of posts which a one second search would solve, or people who ignore the answers they are given, and threads that were answered in the first few minutes, but continue for days.

I'd quite like to see the 'PIC hardware' threads separated from the 'CCS C' threads, but then each forum would shrink, and work would increase.

What triggered this thread was that three (I think) very off topic posts all launched within a few hours of one another.

To really draw a line, would require far more activity from the moderators (work).

Generally, the forum works well, with the occasional 'advertising' post etc., quickly deleted, and most threads with a nice humour.

Best Wishes

[Tom Jetland]

I'll hold my hand up.. I was one off the off topic posters

However, I did search for a more appropriate section on this forum.. although I know it's supposed to be purely for CCS products. But the beauty with this place is that most of the guys on here are professional and it's difficult to find that sort of quality in other internet places.

I reckon an off-topic sub-directory would be an interesting experiment to see how it would fair.

Tom

[newguy]

I'm another. The reason I keep coming back here is the depth & breadth of experience of the "regulars." It's like a very large living electrical engineering library.

[rnielsen]

I like the idea of an 'off topic' section. We have many people with an in-depth knowledge of a broad range of topics. I, too, have posted off-topic requests for information because I know the people here are a fantastic resource.

Many of the requests for help are due to people working with new peripherals and having issues understanding the communication protocol and it really wasn't a PIC or CCS issue.

Ronald

[ckielstra]

I'm against it.

My reasons against an OT section:
1) Most posts on this forum are made by just a handful of people. When you create another sub-forum there is the risk that those people have less time to do CCS support.
2) For the greater good of internet it is best when all forums stay specialized, then it will be easier to find answers instead of having small fragments of information everywhere.

When you see the quick and high quality responses on this forum I do understand it is very tempting to post an OT question but I seriously doubt you will see the same great response in a sub forum.

I don't mind an OT question now and then but there must at least be a direct link to a PIC based project. For me the line was drawn with the ADSL modem question today.

Edit: I just notice I'm close to my 10 year anniversary here and just over 3500 posts. That's almost 1 post every day for 10 years!

[Humberto]

The main purposes of this forum are wide enough and most of the issues posted in this forum are already included.
From:
CCS Forum Policy and Guidelines
#6. Stay on topic