plcs.net

[paulcs]

It is refreshing to visit a site that continues to work exactly as I have seen over the past x years. When a site is a technical resource center, "good info" and "consistency" outweigh "pretty".

 

[Tom Jenkins]

whatever you do - PLEASE do not go with the watered-down pastel colors that so many other forums are using lately ... blue-on-white is MUCH harder to read than black-on-white - at least for 68 year-old eyes like mine ...

as far as I'm concerned - if it ain't broke, don't fix it ... personally I don't need "modern" - I need readable ...

100% agree. Even worse, I'm color blind (along with about 7% of men in general and a higher percentage of male engineers). Many of the trendy color combinations are almost impossible for my old defective eyes to read. Black on white and a plain font are getting scarce. Phil, your site is among the best!

 

[userxyz]

Things I maybe miss:

- grouping brands and devices... Like 'Siemens'... Subdir 'drives'. That would navigate people with specific knowledge a little more to the right topics I think..

- An app for quicksearching when you have an issue in the field...

- I also miss a little social media linking maybe... Liking topics, liking answers... But this is not a must... Just dreaming around ��

Regards,
G

 

[MartB]

My 2 cents worth...

1. Don't change a thing, as many others have said "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
2. If you do decide to change it in some way, separating it into something like PLC issues, Drive Issues, HMI issues, etc would be fine, but don't dilute it too much please. Often the answer on one system can point you in the right direction on another system.
I will often read questions/answers on systems that we do not use here on site in the hope that it will help me out on systems we do use, and often I'll learn something new every time.
3. The search functions work perfectly. It would seem that most people don't bother to use it, but that just indicates how lazy they are, not how the search actually works.
4. A mobile app would be useful about 3% of the time. If it contains short messages (i.e. Twitter), or pictures & graphics (i.e. Instagram), mobile apps are great. For text based informational systems (such as this forum), you'll find you spend more time adjusting the text size than you will actually learning anything.

For many years I have ran my own forums and been admin on many others (not PLC related) elsewhere, so I know exactly how much work would be involved in a redesign.
For me, a redesign must add something of value. If it is a redesign just to make the forum more 'modern' or 'trendy', then you're not adding anything of value.
If you're redesigning for a mobile app, then you have to ask yourself how far you're willing to go with it, and how useful you think your target audience will find it.

Everyone that uses this site is interested in the technical content, the fact it's pretty, or has the most modern looking interface on the planet won't change the content.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

p.s. I would like to thank Phil and the mods for keeping us all in line everyday in a professional manner, that still allows us to express ourselves freely. You guys do a terrific job

 

[kallileo]

What is needed is more subforums.
Just LIVE PLC Questions And Answers isn't enough anymore.

 

[ndzied1]

What is needed is more subforums.
Just LIVE PLC Questions And Answers isn't enough anymore.

I have to respectfully disagree. It is precisely the fact that this board is NOT broken down into sub forums that makes it my favorite one.

This might depend on the user. I'm guessing others like me (people who check the board multiple times a day) like it this way. There is always some fresh topic to help with or learn from right there within easy access.

However, I could see that someone who only occasionally browses might find it intimidating if they see 100's of new posts when they hit the site. Even then, there is the normal forum search function and the google search function to help find topics of interest. Many times even a simple search at the main google site will find what you are looking for in PLCS.net.

Again, no offence meant but it seems like a lot of us like it this way.

 

[Tom Jenkins]

I have to respectfully disagree. It is precisely the fact that this board is NOT broken down into sub forums that makes it my favorite one.
....
Again, no offence meant but it seems like a lot of us like it this way.

Ditto for me. Let's face it, some of the newbies here would be totally flummoxed trying to figure out what category to post in.

Also, most automation problems are multi-disciplinary.

If someone is trying to get a Siemens PLC to control an ABB VFD so he can implement flow control, does that go in Siemens, in VFDs, or in process control? If the OP used a Siemens forum, for example, I'd never look at it, even though I may have experience directly on point.

 

[Mike_RH]

Please do not make any changes!

The site as it is, is a great technical resource, through the history that's here, plus the amazing people who make themselves available to answer questions.

A very strong, its not broken, don't fix it!

 

[kallileo]

I have to respectfully disagree. It is precisely the fact that this board is NOT broken down into sub forums that makes it my favorite one.

This might depend on the user. I'm guessing others like me (people who check the board multiple times a day) like it this way. There is always some fresh topic to help with or learn from right there within easy access.

However, I could see that someone who only occasionally browses might find it intimidating if they see 100's of new posts when they hit the site. Even then, there is the normal forum search function and the google search function to help find topics of interest. Many times even a simple search at the main google site will find what you are looking for in PLCS.net.

Again, no offence meant but it seems like a lot of us like it this way.

I'm talking about few more sections like "I'm new to PLC", sub forum for engineering topic not related to PLCs like motors, transformers or elecronics.

 

[SandwichMagic]

sub forum for engineering topic not related to PLCs like motors, transformers or elecronics.

I understand the intention, but wouldn't it be a little silly to have a forum not about PLCs on PLCtalk.net?

I think that the idea of a newbie forum is a good idea, but needs refining. What qualifies one as a newbie? What qualifies one as experienced? Maybe just have a sub forum for just students? The problem with that is there would be a whole lot more live questions than live answers.

 

[danw]

I have to respectfully disagree. It is precisely the fact that this board is NOT broken down into sub forums that makes it my favorite one.

I concur.

Dan

 

[userxyz]

same opinion

Same opinion like kallileo.
A complete change is not expected, but small changes or extensions can make a big improvement. I still think a seperation between visualisation, plc, drives, electrotechnical, etc.. is not such a crazy idea.

Kind regards
G

I'm talking about few more sections like "I'm new to PLC", sub forum for engineering topic not related to PLCs like motors, transformers or elecronics.

 

[Steve Bailey]

For those who would like to see more sub-forums: What are you hoping for that you can't achieve by using the search function?

I'm asking because of the number of people who post their questions in the practice area. In my opinion more sub-forums increases the chances of a thread getting started in a sub-forum not necessarily related to the OP's question. When that happens often enough it tends to defeat the purpose of the additional sub-forums.

 

[userxyz]

to help

Hi,

To search for something specific... Nothing wrong with the search function.
To post something, no problem with the current format.

When I have the time to help some people... Then I do a quickview of the last 3 pages and no more then that. Reading all these messages takes time, while I can only help in certain brands, products or kind of machinery or process. I never search after posts to help.

Example: Someone needs help with a Sinamics S120. In the current format, if I don't read the new posts for more then several days, the chances I see that post are very small.

Therefor I do like subforums because I would look in the sections where I can help.

Anyway, I can be wrong ��

Kind regards,
G

For those who would like to see more sub-forums: What are you hoping for that you can't achieve by using the search function?

I'm asking because of the number of people who post their questions in the practice area. In my opinion more sub-forums increases the chances of a thread getting started in a sub-forum not necessarily related to the OP's question. When that happens often enough it tends to defeat the purpose of the additional sub-forums.

 

[OkiePC]

If you click on the headings you can sort the forum threads differently. Occasionally, I will sort the forum according to the number of replies. Sometimes I may know an answer or have a response for a thread with zero or very few replies that may have occurred several days ago when I was not looking.