Computer Section in this site (suggestion)

[Markxxx]

Perhaps with all the computer related questions it would be good to add a Computer Related Questions board, in addition of GQ or Cafe Society etc.

[El Cid Viscoso]

I suggest we name it Techie Dweebs and Magic Beans.

[Ice Wolf]

This has been suggested at least three times this year so far, here in this forum. The answer from the staff has, those other times, been no.

There are tons of other computer-related forums out there, aren't there?

[Algernon]

Here is a thread on this topic from only 9 days ago. (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=219248) It is noteworthy to look at just to read Una Persson's hilarious riposte.

[Una Persson]

::blushes::

[TubaDiva]

That's not our core business. It's not, strictly speaking, what we're about, and there's lots of places elsewhere that do it and do it much better than we could ever think of.

We don't have a sports forum, either. Or a gaming forum. Or ______________ (fill in with your favorite thing besides The Straight Dope).

While we appreciate every one of you and all your myriad interests, this is not by necessity the place for all of that. Would that we could!

your humble TubaDiva
Administrator

[Grousser]

Yes Algernon, and I am the one who Una Persson replied to (grrrr!). Only two things:

1. I think many of us insist because... damn, we don't want to go to other places, we like to have a Dopers Computer Forum! We bring the magic together! (Don't be silly, Grousser)

and

2. Computers is something we all have in common (not as sports or gaming), so its issues may be interesting to any of us.

But no! Tell them something you want and they won't... what? Do I have to shut up? Ok, ok, just mumbling... ;)

[Una Persson]

Originally posted by Grousser
Yes Algernon, and I am the one who Una Persson replied to (grrrr!).
I'm very sorry you didn't get the spirit in which my post was intended. At first I only posted a terse "It's been discussed before and rejected" response, but that sounded too rude and short, so I tried to make it a point of what I hoped would be mutual humour. I did not intend to poke fun at you in any way, shape, or form, and would have made the same post regardless of who had asked the question.

[Grousser]

No, please!

I didn't get offended, really. Well, I have to admit that initially I didn't catch the spirit of your post, but damn, I'm coming from another cultural environment (see my location at the left) and I stepped late in this one, but I do have sense of humour. No hard feelings, pal. And you know what? This last post of you sound too... burocratic, please relax!

(Sense of humour... I only hope TubaDiva has it, too) :smack:

[C K Dexter Haven]

Moderators and Administrators are not permitted to have a sense of humour. It's distracting, and a violation of the Moderators' Handbook, Rule 16(b)(iii), paragraph 4.02.

[Mangetout]

I'd like a forum for cheese-related threads, and another for threads about badgers.

[El Cid Viscoso]

Badgers? We don't need no steenking badgers.

[C K Dexter Haven]

OK, so seriously, here's the point: we don't really divide up the forums by TOPIC so much as by ATTITUDE.

- Questions with specific answers go in GQ, regardless of topic -- thus, a computer question such as "Are there computers powered by dilithium crystals?" would go in GQ.
- Questions that don't actually have resolution go in GD, regardless of topic. Thus, a computer question about which is better, Mac or PC, would go in GD.
- Rants about computers ("My freaking hard drive crashed again! I'll never buy another computer at Dairy Queen!") would go in the Pit.
- Personal stories about how your computer fell on your toe would go in MPSIMS

The ONLY exception that we made to this type of classification is for the Cafe Society. The main reason was that we were getting so many questions about arts and entertainment, that we felt it was reasonable to separate them out.

I suppose, if we found that we were getting dozens of questions each day about some other topic, that we'd consider splitting that off into a separate forum too. But so far, it hasn't happened.

[Grousser]

Ok, I got it, we all got it (I think). But I also think it would be nearly fair if you let us speculate about the splitting of forums without feeling we are pressing you, sometimes we joke about it and sometimes we speak seriously. In that case, it's not hard for you administrators just sitting comfortably in your seats to read our comments, saying "ah ha ha, you fools, keep dreaming" ;) (even if you're not allowed to write with sense of humour, at least use it here).

[Lynn Bodoni]

Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven
Moderators and Administrators are not permitted to have a sense of humour. It's distracting, and a violation of the Moderators' Handbook, Rule 16(b)(iii), paragraph 4.02. Well, we're not PERMITTED to exercise our sense of humor. As with Skippy (www.skippyslist.com), "If the thought of something makes me giggle for longer than 15 seconds, I am to assume that I am not allowed to do it. " This includes changing a member's status line to something I feel is far more appropriate.

[Algernon]

This includes changing a member's status line to something I feel is far more appropriate. I know at least one instance Lynn, where you gave in to the temptation to use your goddess powers to change a member's status. What was it? Dumb as a rock? Something like that?

Sometimes I don't know how you hold yourself back. I wouldn't be able to exhibit such control. My will power would wilt under the seductive siren call of the ability to make those changes.

On the other hand, I'm grateful for your self control. We'd all be nervous about our labels each day otherwise. :)

[Smeghead]

"Too stupid to live," I believe is what you're thinking of, Al.

BTW, in one of these "new forum" threads, someone (Jerry, maybe?) pointed out that every time we started a new forum to relieve the pressure on the existing fora, the new forum almost instantly grew just as big as the others. IOW, more fora = more traffic, for some odd reason.

[dantheman]

Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven
Moderators and Administrators are not permitted to have a sense of humour. It's distracting, and a violation of the Moderators' Handbook, Rule 16(b)(iii), paragraph 4.02.

Plus they have to send back their coffee mug. Washed.

[Grousser]

Originally posted by Smeghead
BTW, in one of these "new forum" threads, someone (Jerry, maybe?) pointed out that every time we started a new forum to relieve the pressure on the existing fora, the new forum almost instantly grew just as big as the others. IOW, more fora = more traffic, for some odd reason.
I was just about to say something like that, but I couldn't find the way to express it.

You see, I dont know if I'm the only one, but when there are some banning issues around, people like me (me, Grousser) doesn't know when we are closing to the "banned" limit (in case we are). Of course, I could swear that I'm not saying anything annoying, but I think as it happens in real life, one may be comitting sins without knowledge.

This means that mods or admins should not assume that we are understanding irony when you use it to warn us, or maybe you are just joking, too. Grrr! Again, I don't know how to explain it (english is not my native language, and therefore my culture environment neither).

The straight case: I've been speculating about new forum and sense of humour of mods. I write without intention of disturbing, offending or anything wrong. But sometimes I feel you don't like certain comments. Is it my imagination? Shouldn't we have a "don't take that path" indicator or something like that? Or as long as we don't get a warning call we can use our freedom of speech in issues concerning the board?

Take this as a sincere question and not as a provocation please, because I'm very worried expressing a lot of ideas and I like this boards very much. :) (Does this situation deserve a new thread?)

[C K Dexter Haven]

Not to worry, Grousser, we sometimes use sarcasm or irony and hope that our tone of voice will be read. Well, I do. We probably shouldn't do that, there are lots of posters who come from different cultural backgrounds and different languages, and sarcasm/irony can be a barrier to communication.

Yes, you can feel free to express yourself (politely) about board issues, just read through the FAQ. We are careful about discussions about individual situations, since we like to respect the privacy, even of miscreants. thus, some situations are best answered through private email rather than public forums.

Generally, people who have transgressed the rules get a private email warning, perhaps even a public *thwak* alongside the head. The people who get banned "without notice" are the obvious one-time spammers or perpetual offenders (repeat socks, for instance) who know damn well what they're doing and why.

[Shalmanese]

There are quite a number of computer forums already on the internet. Adding another one to SD would add little value.

Here are some handy links:

Anandtech Forums (http://forums.anandtech.com)
HardOCP Forums (http://www.hardforum.com/)
Overclockers.com Forums (http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb)
Ars Technica Forum (http://arstechnica.infopop.net/OpenTopic/page?a=cfrm&s=50009562)
Overclockers Australia Forum (http://forums.overclockers.com.au)

Any one of these could answer most computer questions for you.