Comment has been made that it is rather difficult to know where to stick programming questions on the boards, especially given that a lot of languages are cross-platform, and by sticking it into either a Mac or a PC board, you miss out on a significant number of readers.

Anyone got any suggestions, or is it a case of needing another board?

Here's an idea:

Combine Internet and Networking and add Programming to Open Source.

Does that sound sensible?

That does make a hell of a lot of sense actually.

Are you sure you don't want to be PM?

Not sure of the relationship between Networking and Internet or programming and open source to be honest.

But I admit I haven't got any better suggestions

Well the internet is really just a glorified network, and all open source by definition allows you to work on the source, ie programming. It works in my head

Well, to me I use the network to access the interweb. They're allied technologies in many ways, although the Internet forum is chiefly about software like browsers and stuff.

Open source also can include programming: one of the reasons I find it hard to get into a CMS solution for some of my web projects is it involves some basic knowledge of php - and that's programming in my book!

Fair comment although I can't say I necessarily agree ( networking and writing a web page?, you use a network to access all client sever applications as well , php isn't programming as it isn't compiled, compiled open source code isn't open source by definition unless you separately provide the source code. ) - playing devils advocate I freely admit.

How about this,
Development ( All platforms script and programming )
Hardware ( PC’s, Apple, servers, routers etc )
Software ( PC, Apple, OS’s, Opensource)

I think your suggestions are making things too general Alun (just my 2p)

Internet & Networking can be lumped together (I think), and web development would move over to the programming, scripting and markup board.
Especially if it was called "Internet & Networking", it sounds like Firefox stuff can go in there, as well as router stuff (elsewise, t'other way around it might sound too might like protocol stuff and Firefox(etc) should go elsewhere).

Programming doesn't fit in Open Source (in my mind) because Microsoft stuff is proprietary as is Mac stuff, and by sticking it in Open Source you may miss off hardcore Windows/Mac users that could help.

Discussion and opinions is what this is all about


I'll go with the flow it just seems to me that networking ( routers etc ) is more a hardware item where as teh internet is more software type issues.


Totally agree

TBH I just put programming into the board that it most fits into.

i.e. for Java I'd prob stick it into the PC board.

I was doing some batch file stuff the other day which obviously goes into the PC board aswell.

If I was writing a script for our Unix server I'd stick it in the open source board and if I was developing for the iPhone I'd put it in the Mac board.

Not too bothered about a separate board for it cos it would hardly ever get used.

What about proprietary programming languages?

And networking is totally different to discussions on Web 2.0 or why a web browser won't render a page properly...

I think adding a Programming section to the Technical section is a good idea though.

I still say a general help forum is a good idea. Basically a 'none of the above' type forum.

Yes combine internet and networking, but also combine Mac hardware & software into Mac help, and combine Windows hardware and software into Windows help.

- General help
- Windows help
- Mac help
- Open source help
- Networking and internet help


All bases covered, not too many forums. Bang - job done.

That's probably quite a good idea Nick, certainly for the Mac forums as they never (traditionally) get that busy, but should Windows help still be split up further into software and hardware? I'm thinking the Help board over on Dennis was quite busy at times...

Call it "Open Source / Cross Platform".

If the person asking the programming questions isn't going to release the source code under an open source license, it isn't open source and doesn't belong in the open source board!