SUGGESTION: A "Troubleshooting" forum.

[owel]

Sometimes a thread will start as info about a project schematic or modifications, then get sidetracked into a very long troubleshooting discussion that is pertinent only to one member.

May I suggest a "Troubleshooting" forum so people having problems with their project can post there? Each "trouble ticket" will be one thread. And if the problem is fixed, the thread be closed to new postings but open for reading.

That would leave the main Lab forum free for design discussions, info sharing and the like.

 

[PRR]

> I suggest a "Troubleshooting" forum

I like it.

 

[Ethan]

The only "problem" I see with it is that the main forum has always kind of served as a troubleshooting forum where general/specific questions get answered by people that just drop in. A separate troubleshooting forum may only attract a few select people looking for help and not a lot of people capable of offering it. Setting up the forum is no biggie, but just make sure that you know what you are asking for.

Feel free to discuss.
:sam:

 

[fum]

I agree that a separating the troubleshooting out would be good, but also agree that unless traffic flowed through the troubleshooting thread, some questions may take longer to get answered than they would if they were in the Lab.

In a way, you could look at it like we're building a huge library of diy, where having a great index is invaluable. The problem is that in order to make it work, it would require constant editing, probably more time than most of the people who are maintaining the meta threads would have to spare.

It's somewhat diametrically opposed to the conversational nature of the forum, as you'd be editing out the dialog to condense the material.

Hmmm, a dilemma, indeed.

ju

 

[owel]

I see both viewpoints... earlier, I was opposed to creating a "Black Market" forum because I fear that I'll miss some deals going on if it got moved to a separate forum.

But the opposite happened. It became easier to find out what's for sale.

The way I see it, if we have a Troubleshooting forum, topics will be named descriptively.

example:

1176: Help, ratio control doesn't work.
LA-2A: VU Meter isn't working. Help
SSL Compressor: Audio passes in one channel, but not in other.

The real value of this is when enough trouble tickets and solutions have been solved. If we build a "library" of symptoms and solutions, then in the future somebody experiencing a similar problem can just go to the Troubleshooting forum and find quickly the relevant thread that might help him.

Again, it's just a suggestion, but I think it has merits.

 

[NewYorkDave]

Originally, I was against the idea of subdividing the forum outside of a separate "wanted/for sale/group buy" area. (And people STILL insist on posting Group Buy threads on the Lab, to my annoyance). But who could have anticipated the level of traffic we ended up having here? (Eat your heart out, R.O.!). At any rate, worthwhile threads are disappearing without a trace because the turnover is so quick. It might not be a bad idea, after all, to subdivide a bit.

 

[moosapotamus]

I think a separate troubleshooting forum MIGHT be a good idea.
Troubleshooting threads sometimes give rise to other ideas beyond basic troubleshooting, like mods, improvements and and ways to simplify the build process that some of us might have otherwise never posted. You might also have the assurance that, when you go to the troubleshooting forum, you are going to see posts about ACTIVE projects... things that are actually being built, as opposed to WIP (work in progress) kinds of stuff.

~ Charlie

 

[CJ]

Well, the neat thing about this place is we can try stuff, and if it dosen't fly, we can reverse it.
The Brewery started off kind of slow but seems to be picking up speed.
No harm in trying. It might morph into something else, who knows!
I think that Ethan guy is one smart pup!

(Insert Richie Havens vocal here: Freedom... Freedom....!)
:grin: :guinness: :grin:

 

[soundguy]

If you have the new forum, you could also link the "my ssl wont work" threads under the ssl meta, the "1176 wont work" threads in the 1176 meta and as they get updated, the meta bumps in the main forum, so its sort of a way to get traffic. Ive been killing lots of time lately (I love making records) and read just about everything here lately...

dave

 

[fum]

Based on what I've read, I'd vote for do it. If things get thick enough, we may end up with toubleshooting metas as well, which could be cool. If it sucks, we can always roll stuff back into the lab.

ju

 

[microx]

I am for it providig that it's troubleshooting only and is project specific, thats to say only G9 or only LA2a. This way it would be easy to search by just entering the project.
Also, I am a big fan of the black market because it pleases everyone, if you dont want to see things for sale dont click on it.
This forum is working great because its democratic, we decide and we have shown that we can decide real good.
Steve

 

[Infernal_Death]

Well i see no problem having all those troubleshooting thread in here. I am more concerned about what Admin said that only people looking for advice will visit the troubleshooting area.

So i think it's better to keep it as it's now.

Flo

 

[deanp920]

Huge threads with long one on one troubleshooting discussions are a pain to sift through.

I'm a contributor to the above mentioned pile-up in the current G1176 thread.

Still that old 55 page G1176 thread helped a ton of folks, myself included.

I like the one giant thread thing.

Dean

 

[HiString]

This basic philosophy behind this suggestion is part of the reason (maybe a big part) that prompted me to originally start the poll about creating some form of categorisation or sub-forums.

If in the early days of the site, I had said what I could see happening.......well maybe I did, but anyways, people would not have believed me, as it was, it was difficult to convince some people to look outside of their own little bubble.

I will ask though, whether it be a Troubleshooting Forum or any other kind of reorganisation, who is going to have the time available to go back and sort through all the threads and place them in their respective pidgeonhole.

 

[owel]

The troubleshooting threads that are already in the main forum can stay there.

What I'm proposing if if somebody had a specific problem with a project or design, that they post their initial question on the new "Troubleshooting Forum".

I guess the fear is we think nobody will read the post and that nobody will help the poster. But I think the folks here are a helpful bunch and who can't resist the challenge of fixing a botched project?

When you're just starting out to build the project and looking for specific information, then you wade through pages and pages of voltage readings and long list of problems because somebody soldered the wrong resistor value is frustrating.

The benefits of the Troubleshooting forum will not be realized during the first week... but after a few months when we have a good database of specific problems and specific solutions.