----------------------------------- mzhang Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:54 am Some thoughts about the forum ----------------------------------- I know that I just started here, but I have some suggestions that could be used to improve the site. 1. For each user, one could label which languages they program in. This could be used for users to easily locate others who program in the same language. 2. The forum has no "Improvements" section, that's why I'm posting here. If this post is against any forum rules then please remove it. ----------------------------------- Hikaru79 Thu Jul 21, 2005 6:13 am ----------------------------------- We don't have an "Improvements" forum, but we have a "Suggestions for V3" thread [url=http://www.compsci.ca/v2/viewtopic.php?t=9384]around here somewhere, which are basically feature requests for the upcoming version of the forum. You can post your ideas there :) ----------------------------------- Tony Thu Jul 21, 2005 5:58 pm ----------------------------------- programming language labels would have a lot of issues. Mostly because users who do not know what they are doing will list every language they've heard of, and programmers who are to some level proficient will actually be aware that they don't know that much. Besides, there are a lot of languages out there. I have to pick and choose which ones go on my resume, because they all don't fit on a single line :? ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:24 pm ----------------------------------- Who said it has to be a line? :lol: Well, this was discussed, I brought it up, and I still think it would be pretty useful. The problem is that yes, it would be like putting a 'label' on someones knowledge, and it would have to be proven (which would take considerable effort). I'm not sure, but one thing I just came up with is. Maybe we could make it so that it matters on the amount of posts you have in a certain area? Usually when someone has a bunch of posts in an area they have some knowledge ofthe subject. Still, there are obvious problems with this solution. No matter which method we use, it can't really be accurate, so... ----------------------------------- Amailer Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:01 pm ----------------------------------- Nah bad idea... people are skilled in many languages sometimes (WTD) it could be just that the forum of that language isn't that active (popular), its really no use XD ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:18 pm ----------------------------------- Then you could do it for the percentage of posts in total for that forum? ----------------------------------- Tony Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:32 pm ----------------------------------- We could then add emphasis on posting tutorials and introduce ranking systems.. But then this information cannot be in real time. Too much computing and database access to figure it out for each user. So perhaps during weekly updates or something.. But then again.. what about very knowledgable users that do not post often? Regularly, but in small amounts :? ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:49 pm ----------------------------------- Yea... It's just an idea. Another possibility is to allow mods to rank users (but this would put lots of work on you). Maybe you could do it for the percentage of that persons post count, now thats starting to get complicated (but yes, it could be done weekly). ----------------------------------- Bacchus Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:43 pm ----------------------------------- Or maybe even have regular post ranks like we have now and have an option for MODs that when they read a post/tutorial/code they can add special points that can go towards getting special titles and the such. ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:49 pm ----------------------------------- Glad my idea is finally getting some inspiration :), still we will have to see. Bacchus, I think that might be too much since its really similar to bits right now. It would be simpler to just have a 'rank' or 'point' system for each language, which still isn't overly simple... ----------------------------------- Bacchus Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:55 pm ----------------------------------- Yes that would be interesting having different bits for each type of language. But then again this itself would present more problem because would some bits be better then others? Universal is the way to go on this I think so all people can get them. I guess the main thing behind my post was that we need more stuff in the shop. :P Also I'm loving my bits right now lol ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Thu Jul 21, 2005 10:36 pm ----------------------------------- Burn him at the stake! :twisted: Yep, more stuff in the shop would be good, but having many types of bits would be hectic (how the heck do you spell hecktic). It's just good to know who know what language so you can ask them without looking at all their posts, especially for newerbies. It's also good to get some 'promotion' once in a while ;). ----------------------------------- Tony Thu Jul 21, 2005 11:26 pm ----------------------------------- would some bits be better then others? Yes, different bits will be like foreighn currency. We'll then be monitoring inflation and exchange rates. ----------------------------------- Martin Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:31 am ----------------------------------- What we need is a reputation system and to get rid of post counts. ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Fri Jul 22, 2005 1:58 am ----------------------------------- :lol: And we could have a stock market! Well, I personally don't know what a forum would be without a post count, but reputation isn't a bad idea ;). ----------------------------------- Bacchus Fri Jul 22, 2005 6:40 am ----------------------------------- Yes a reputation thing would be cool. I've seen a karma one on another forum and every user could add a positive point or a negative point to another person's karma. The only problem with this is people abusing it :? ----------------------------------- Cervantes Fri Jul 22, 2005 8:19 am ----------------------------------- The other thing is that we do not support all languages at this site (with their own forums, that is). So there's no way to say that wtd has a knowledge of haskell, for example, based on the ideas so far about posts in a forum. ----------------------------------- Martin Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:39 am ----------------------------------- Post counts are misleading. Take wtd and myself. We both have similar post counts. Only difference is that he contributes to the forums and I..well...yeah. You get the idea. ----------------------------------- wtd Fri Jul 22, 2005 2:44 pm ----------------------------------- The other thing is that we do not support all languages at this site (with their own forums, that is). So there's no way to say that wtd has a knowledge of haskell, for example, based on the ideas so far about posts in a forum. Do a search for the word "Haskell" and filter it by my username. :) ----------------------------------- McKenzie Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:26 pm ----------------------------------- I think trying to cover ALL languages would dilute the forum. As wtd says you can always search for a language and talk to the person about it. A while ago someone (shorthair?) was pushing for coverage of "other basics." Now it's a dead forum. I'm not saying that it shouldn't have been added. I just don't think we should add every single language that catches someone's fancy for the day. I think the admin do a good job of carefully considering language choices befor adding them. Ruby is a good example of this. It's taken wtd beating everyone over the head with Ruby, and a number of people taking his advice and giving it a serious look, before adding it. ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:37 pm ----------------------------------- Search found 41 matches :) Yep, having a specific forum for every language would be pretty pointless, but wouldn't it be useful to simple have an "Other Languages" section. The "General Programming" section should be for all around programming things, not for everything that doesn't fit anywhere else. The only problem with this is people abusing it How so? ----------------------------------- wtd Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:47 pm ----------------------------------- I think trying to cover ALL languages would dilute the forum. Indeed. I also think the General Programming forum presents a good opportunity to "accidentally" discover interesting new ideas and languages. It's a cauldron of ideas, constantly being stirred, and that keeps it fresh. ----------------------------------- 1of42 Fri Jul 22, 2005 11:59 pm ----------------------------------- "]The only problem with this is people abusing it How so? Well, 2 good examples spring to mind: In 1 forum, a group of guys who frequent the forums got together and started a thread in which they mutually give postiive reputation to each other, and have for a long time. They now have massive reputations, despiet not necessarily posting all good things. In another, there was this one guy (this was a forum for a text-based web game) who just wouldn't stop going on about rebalancing this or that in the game, but most specifically his favourite type of race to play. Anyways, long story short, a bunch of guys who were fairly good at the game (and friends) ended up conducting a neg-repuation campagin against him, to the point where an admin eventually had to intervene. Both are examples of places where while reputation was initally supposed to be used to reflect the quality of a person's postings, it eventually became used as a weapon/used as a useless fun tool. It' basically, at the end of it, just a random gimmick. ----------------------------------- Dan Mon Jul 25, 2005 10:02 am ----------------------------------- Alot of intresting ideas have been brougth up here. I do not have alot of time to post right now since i am at work so i will just address the mian one of this topic. The idea of puting a line for what langs some one knows could be very usefull but i do not think it is somthign that has to be relgualted or controled by the site or staff. I think an open text box where u can list all the langs u know or are learning that you can chage at any time whould be great in poleopes bios. This whould not show up on there pots but in there profile. It could be part of the bio system in v3. This way it is up to the user to fill in that info and keep it up to date. Also was thinking of add to this idea a bit and having a section that lists langs they are learning, langs they are well versted in and langs they know just a bit about. I do not see why this has to be controled by any one but the user since lieing about it whould onyl hurt the user. ----------------------------------- [Gandalf] Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:21 pm ----------------------------------- Yep, that's probably the simplest way of doing this. People can still lie, but it will soon become obvious is someone claims they know something that they have no idea about. It's like 'occupation', or 'location' - nobody is going to prove you are telling the truth (obviously). "Karma" would probably be too much. Whenever I see these kinds of things, they are there instead of 'bits' or something else. Do we really need more than bits and post count? ----------------------------------- Dan Mon Jul 25, 2005 7:18 pm ----------------------------------- "] "Karma" would probably be too much. Whenever I see these kinds of things, they are there instead of 'bits' or something else. Do we really need more than bits and post count? Indeed, affter spending a week or so on this site u learn who is who. And u do not realy need a mod that simulators somthing that all ready exists on a fourm (repuation). ----------------------------------- naoki Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:03 pm ----------------------------------- In 1 forum, a group of guys who frequent the forums got together and started a thread in which they mutually give postiive reputation to each other, and have for a long time. They now have massive reputations, despiet not necessarily posting all good things. It's called a "circle-jerk" and you usually have to be funny or insightful in the first place to snag the attention of the bigwigs.