running amok....

Thread Starter

justtrying

Joined Mar 9, 2011
439
I feel a need to also express my feelings about recent changes...

I joined this site as a student needing help with digital electronics. I lurked here for a few weeks and it was a no brainer, clear lay out, knowledgable members, no product promotions. And I can live with no automotive threads. The moderators were fair to their best abilities as compared to my previous experience.

Lets look at today - I would never even consider the forum simply based on how it looks, there are multiple other sites dedicated to arduino that have been in existence for years and are not violent orange. The site is difficult to navigate (especially on a mobile devise) and the community is struggling.

I am very disappointed in changes, I am here to learn from people who brought much knowledge and feel that owners/administrators are pulling away from the discussion with people who made this forum what it is. It is nothing without its members and their contribution.
 

Thread Starter

justtrying

Joined Mar 9, 2011
439
I felt the same way as you, which is why I switched back to the older format:

View attachment 87039

It is much more readable for me, on a PC and also on my mobile device. I use a direct link to the forums (http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/) to avoid the hideous homepage with all the arduino stuff.
I have done this also, but when I went to the site from another phone, I was not logged in (?) so faced with yellow :(

My main point was that I think the new site is of much less attractive to new members seeking quality involvement in electronics as opposed to "help me" posters who use 20 sites for the same question.
 

DerStrom8

Joined Feb 20, 2011
2,390
I have done this also, but when I went to the site from another phone, I was not logged in (?) so faced with yellow :(

My main point was that I think the new site is of much less attractive to new members seeking quality involvement in electronics as opposed to "help me" posters who use 20 sites for the same question.
I would have to agree with you on that. I don't know why we had to switch from the cool blue theme to a painful orange one. I would much rather the blue be the default and the orange be opt-in, rather than the other way around.
 

Georacer

Joined Nov 25, 2009
5,182
I feel a need to also express my feelings about recent changes...

I joined this site as a student needing help with digital electronics. I lurked here for a few weeks and it was a no brainer, clear lay out, knowledgable members, no product promotions. And I can live with no automotive threads. The moderators were fair to their best abilities as compared to my previous experience.

Lets look at today - I would never even consider the forum simply based on how it looks, there are multiple other sites dedicated to arduino that have been in existence for years and are not violent orange. The site is difficult to navigate (especially on a mobile devise) and the community is struggling.

I am very disappointed in changes, I am here to learn from people who brought much knowledge and feel that owners/administrators are pulling away from the discussion with people who made this forum what it is. It is nothing without its members and their contribution.
I don't think the orange will go away soon. jrap seems to like it and reverting such a big change is not always the best option. I do expect the mobile version to become more usable, though. jrap does have a history to dish out quick pathes.

As for the new conent, I'm not a big fan either. This, I expect to be improving in the near future: the assigned authors of these sections are unknown and not picked from the AAC community pool.
The core forum is still here though and not going anywhere, so we haven't lost any value; maybe just diluted it.

As for the community, I don't know of any significant recent member resignations/ departures. The helpful people are still here.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
The new content will present a round of new questions.

Hopefully, the new content will have the authors name and email attached and I would recommend an invitation to join these forums as AAC is promoting their work.
 

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
Lets look at today - I would never even consider the forum simply based on how it looks, there are multiple other sites dedicated to arduino that have been in existence for years and are not violent orange. The site is difficult to navigate (especially on a mobile devise) and the community is struggling.

I am very disappointed in changes, I am here to learn from people who brought much knowledge and feel that owners/administrators are pulling away from the discussion with people who made this forum what it is. It is nothing without its members and their contribution.
You, me, and a lot of others!

My main point was that I think the new site is of much less attractive to new members seeking quality involvement in electronics as opposed to "help me" posters who use 20 sites for the same question.
Correct, but the new advertisers are likely clamoring for just that type of viewer.

I don't get it, are we hating Arduino now?
I don't hate Arduino; it has succeeded tremendously for the same reasons that I don't use it. It appeals primarily to teens who don't want to learn electronics, but just want to build "awesome" useless toys. And it is not financially viable for anything but one-off projects.

As for the new conent, I'm not a big fan either. This, I expect to be improving in the near future: the assigned authors of these sections are unknown and not picked from the AAC community pool.
The new content will present a round of new questions.

Hopefully, the new content will have the authors name and email attached and I would recommend an invitation to join these forums as AAC is promoting their work.
Actually, Adam LaBarbera told me that the Arduino articles were written by members of the AAC team. Judging from the writing style and the content, my guess is that they are in India, and getting paid for churning it out.

And for those of you who don't like this post, don't worry, it will soon disappear like my other recent posts.
 

Brownout

Joined Jan 10, 2012
2,390
tracecom said:
I don't hate Arduino; it has succeeded tremendously for the same reasons that I don't use it. It appeals primarily to teens who don't want to learn electronics, but just want to build "awesome" useless toys. And it is not financially viable for anything but one-off projects.
I don't use Arduino either. In fact, I've only been using UC's for a couple years. But I consider it a valid element of the electronics hobby, and worthy of consideration on here. And if it gets some teens into programming and building neat stuff, I support it.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
Actually, Adam LaBarbera told me that the Arduino articles were written by members of the AAC team.
I'm sure you meant the EETech team. The AAC team is the likes of WBahn, MikeMI, Alex t, Bill M, Mr Al, Sgt Wookie, and all the others who peruse these forums handling the inquiring minds.

Even TI, a little known company, has those who author tech notes, and other documentation get the credit with their names on the documents. EETech should have the same requirement of their project contributors. Who do you think will get the blame for errors? Not EETech, but AAC.

I applaud @jrap for creating this forum. It has allowed a terrific AAC team to find it and remain.

I think there should be a review of the articles prior to posting them.

The 16x2 LCD RS - Resistor Select ... is an error that demonstrates the lack of due diligence.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,094
To stumble and fall is one thing.
To stumble, fall, shoot yourself in both feet, try to get up and say the gun wasn't loaded with actual bullets is just pathetic, sad, and depressing.
I'm not holding my breath for the paid content to improve.
 

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
I'm sure you meant the EETech team. The AAC team is the likes of WBahn, MikeMI, Alex t, Bill M, Mr Al, Sgt Wookie, and all the others who peruse these forums handling the inquiring minds....
I posted the question in a thread (which was subsequently deleted by Adam LaBarbera) on AAC, in which I asked who had written the Arduino articles posted on AAC. Adam LaBarbera sent me a PM on AAC in which he wrote, "Those articles were written by our team of writers." I assumed that meant the AAC team, but if he actually meant another team, he should have said so.
 

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
To stumble and fall is one thing.
To stumble, fall, shoot yourself in both feet, try to get up and say the gun wasn't loaded with actual bullets is just pathetic, sad, and depressing.
I'm not holding my breath for the paid content to improve.
I have been more of a learner here than a teacher, and I appreciate those who have helped me pro bono. It will be interesting to see who continues to donate their time going forward.
 

JoeJester

Joined Apr 26, 2005
4,390
tracecom,

I have no doubt he used the term AAC team. He considers it the AAC team. Like I said, AAC will bear the consequences of such postings.
 
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