Topic for Raspberry Pi? (Poll is closed. But feel free to share your feelings.)

[DaOld Man]

What do you think?
A forum on here to discuss RPi?
Maybe throw in other alternate OS or setups, such as Winbook?

[johnrt]

And ODroid. So maybe a Microcomputer forum?

[saint]

No objection. Throw up a poll and see how many people are interested?

[DaOld Man]

Ok thanks! Poll is open for 15 days.

Please feel free to start a discussion before voting.

[yotsuya]

I think a general hardware forum would be better.

[Le Chuck]

I think there are already too many.  Restorations should be a child board of Project Announcements.  Ditto Jukes.  Ditto Driving and Racing.  All the emulator boards should be child boards under software.  So on and so forth. 

[yotsuya]

I agree it should be cleaned up. DOS/Wincab, for example, could go under Audio/Jukebox/MP3 as well.

[pbj]

We could really drill it down to two forums "hobby related" and "pinche chingaderas."

 

[DaOld Man]

Bumped to illicit more votes.
I don't feel only 8 votes is enough to make a good decision.

[Generic Eric]

As for more votes, how about getting the poll on the news link in the upper right hand corner?

[Hoopz]

Point: We need less boards not more. 

Counter point: It'd be nice to get all the stupid threads lumped together in the same place.

Counter counter point:  Nobody searches anyway and just starts ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- anywhere then a mod moves it anyway.

Nevermind.  Naptime.

[Le Chuck]

Polls with low response rate kinda answer the question rather adroitly one may say

[yotsuya]

I'm with Hoopz. I'd clean up what we have  first before we add anything else.

[Hoopz]

Polls with low response rate kinda answer the question rather adroitly one may say

Just means nobody reads this sub-forum.  Especially since Tapatalk is working now.   

[Generic Eric]

Point: We need less boards not more. 

Counter point: It'd be nice to get all the stupid threads lumped together in the same place.

Counter counter point:  Nobody searches anyway and just starts ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- anywhere then a mod moves it anyway.

Nevermind.  Naptime.

FIXT

Polls with low response rate kinda answer the question rather adroitly one may say

Just means nobody reads this sub-forum.  Especially since Tapatalk is working now.   

I'm still trying to get a hang of tapatalk. Generally, I land on the unread posts link and then New Replies.

[ChanceKJ]

I think there are already too many.  Restorations should be a child board of Project Announcements.  Ditto Jukes.  Ditto Driving and Racing.  All the emulator boards should be child boards under software.  So on and so forth.

Completely agreed.

[ChanceKJ]

I wouldn't use the name "Microcomputers"  I'd say if you do, call it "Raspberry Pi / Microcomputers". Otherwise we'll just end up with a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- ton of thread redirects when people didn't know that the label ment Pi as well.

[Generic Eric]

board suggestion


I can't believe I did all of that, but didn't include my own suggestion of adding a programmers subforum.  Just pretend I put it there.
/edit

I'm on a phone

But here are my suggestions.  If the group of ragtag coders takes off, it'd be nice to have another sub forum. I don't think we get as far adding a single forum as we might get if more/many were restructured. This is saint's train and we're passengers.

I'm sure it's not as easy to move around as a lay person such as myself might think.

That is my 2 cents and I'm out until I am asked otherwise

[DaOld Man]

Im all for getting information together in one spot.
I tried to do that with the oft questioned "how do I hook a power on button to my motherboard", by starting a topic  just for that in "Automated Projects".

[Le Chuck]

What is this, a list for ANTS?!!?

Seriously, are there even words on that thing?

Seriously seriously I can't read a one word you wrote.  I'm sure it's a great idea, it looks organized, I'd like to see it but I left my microscope at home. 

[Generic Eric]

What is this, a list for ANTS?!!?

Seriously, are there even words on that thing?

Seriously seriously I can't read a one word you wrote.  I'm sure it's a great idea, it looks organized, I'd like to see it but I left my microscope at home.

I'll fix it in a bit.  made that post in bed.  On phone. At night

[Generic Eric]

Surely, there are some matters with moving forums around that may or may not make moving forums more or less difficult.

That said, let us consider that is easy and without complications.

I have kept the same 3 main categories, but shuffled around the Forums and sub-forums.  Keen eyes will notice the addition of some forums as well.  The recent UCA conversation revealed conflicting opinions about the ranking & validity of project types.  That horse was beat, and I'll leave it lie, but restructuring forums may result in a similar conversation. 

I've gained some perspective from reading this and for as many real projects there are, there are many emulator cabinets here.  Our outside traffic is sometimes directed from other forums such as the ones on imgur, mameworld and r/cade.  I don't post much on mameworld, but on r/cade I try to answer people on r/cade.  Others don't and thats life.

Just to take another point from a recent thread, we can all do better when giving advice.  Everyone could benefit from some soul searching on what good advice is.  I know I have.   Perhaps, if the layout was a little more intuitive, people *might* find their own way. 


So this weird thing is just an outline of how'd I'd structure the forums.  No one asked, but here it is:

• Main
• Main
• Hardware *new* to include items like brackets, vesa mount, building your own wiring harness, marquee lights
• Audio
• Automation Hardware
• Computer sub forum. Build a PC.  rasPI, arduino, AVR
• Monitor/Video Forum
   
   
• Woodworking
• Artwork
• Logos
• Tutorials
         
   
• Project Announcements
• Automated Projects
• Driving & Racing Cabinets
• Home Jukebox
• Pinball
               
   
• Buy/Sell/Trade
• Non-Retail
• Retail vendors
            
   
• Everything Else
• PC Games
• Reviews
• Console
• Meet-Up
• Drinking
• Knitting & Boating Forum
• Politics 'n Religion
• Dead Horse
   

• Arcade Collecting
• Restorations
• Pinball
• Miscellaneous Arcade
• Merit/JVL Touchscreen
         

• Support
• Project Arcade - the Book!
• Forum/Website Discussion
• Software
• DOS/WinCab
• GroovyMAME
• controls.dat
• MrRotate
• SK Jukebox
• Emulator
• Linux
• Audio/MP3 Forum
• COYAG Local #1
• Programming sub forum
• Game Ideas sub forum
            
      
• Frontend Help
• MaLa Frontend
• PowerMame (defunct)
• Maximus Arcade
• Themes
• Tutorials

      
      

[yotsuya]

What's funny is that I rarely use the sub-forum links. I click on "Show unread posts since last visit." and I'm golden.

[Generic Eric]

I'm still trying to get a hang of tapatalk. Generally, I land on the unread posts link and then New Replies.

What's funny is that I rarely use the sub-forum links. I click on "Show unread posts since last visit." and I'm golden.

Word

But we have been reading since BITD.  I'll admit, when I realized that was a feature, it changed my life.

Other members, new ones especially, may or may not.  Let's not forget that this is primarily about facilitating posting. Not about retrieving posts.  *Ideally*, in the long run, it should reduce moderation.

Either way, I'm for more forums.  I'm also for moving forums around if it can help the site be more intuitive.  These ideas are not mutually exclusive. 

[EMDB]

I think it would be useful to have a HyperSpin sub forum under Frontend (strip the Help, the whole forum is about help) as a lot of people seem to struggle with it and it still is a great front end.

[Hoopz]

The more subforums created and the more walls thrown up that make it difficult on people to read stuff, just means more and more people aren't taking the time to read the less popular subs.  I rarely venture into a few (newish) places while in the past before things were so split apart, I'd read threads that weren't in my bailiwick.  Call it lazy but I'm guessing the forums stats will show less people drilling down to every little subforum...

[Le Chuck]

I think there are already too many.  Restorations should be a child board of Project Announcements.  Ditto Jukes.  Ditto Driving and Racing.  All the emulator boards should be child boards under software.  So on and so forth.

The more subforums created and the more walls thrown up that make it difficult on people to read stuff, just means more and more people aren't taking the time to read the less popular subs.  I rarely venture into a few (newish) places while in the past before things were so split apart, I'd read threads that weren't in my bailiwick.  Call it lazy but I'm guessing the forums stats will show less people drilling down to every little subforum...

True, I don't spend enough time in drinking and boating, or boating and knitting.  Whatever it's called.  I amend my above recommendation to:

There are too damn many!  Eliminate child boards and roll the stuff into four or five big ass areas.  If you want things organized go buy a wiki!

[saint]

Whenever we have had sub-forums instead of top level forums, there have been many complaints from the user base and the sub-forums generally got very little use.

[Malenko]

Whenever we have had sub-forums instead of top level forums, there have been many complaints from the user base and the sub-forums generally got very little use.

fair enough. Since forum discussion is never used, its ok to put it as a sub under main.  sticky links at the top of forum discussion to old boards and old archives since I doubt they are used extensively.  PnR can be sub-forumed under EE, since if you wanna go to PnR having it be a sub isnt going to stop you.

Controls.dat is averaging 1 new thread a month this year, and up from its .5 threads a month last year; Im sure it can be tucked under software or something.

I think a front ends section would be ok with subs for Maximus , MaLa, and big blue but still have a main discussion that can include all of them.


Thats all I feel like thinking about for now.

[a1pharm]

If you make a sub board for Pi projects, you may get new traffic to the site.  There are a LOT of folks experimenting with these types of devices.  With a few well written/placed topics, a board like this could get some new blood coursing through the place.

I'm not sure if that's what you guys want...

I do agree with the sentiment of combining some boards, but whatever I think makes the most sense may not make much sense to someone else.

 

[ChanceKJ]

increased traffic means increased ad revenue (and, yes, bandwidth costs). But it also means increased revenue to companies like GGG, Ultimarc and Paradise Arcade.  Personally, with the rate of people buying Pi to get into this hobby i would think it would be cool if we started seeing Pi starter kits geared to Arcade hobbiests on Paradise's Website. How convenient would it be to save on shipping and get everything in one shot. Pi's, Pi basic accessories, buttons, etc. 

[Generic Eric]

increased traffic means increased ad revenue (and, yes, bandwidth costs). But it also means increased revenue to companies like GGG, Ultimarc and Paradise Arcade.  Personally, with the rate of people buying Pi to get into this hobby i would think it would be cool if we started seeing Pi starter kits geared to Arcade hobbiests on Paradise's Website. How convenient would it be to save on shipping and get everything in one shot. Pi's, Pi basic accessories, buttons, etc. 

I dunno Lucy,  you got a Lotta 'splainin' to do that pi 2 is viable.     Seems like a lot of people poo poo it still. *shrug*

As far as a kit, well, what special items are you considering?

[ChanceKJ]

Think about it, if i could get a Pi (any pi, a,b,2) a power cord, an SD card (even preloaded with RetroPi), a cool "Arcade themed/practical" Pi case (with mounting holes of some kind), and get all my buttons and sticks, and save on shipping/wait time, i'd be set.

In the world of retail the basket attach is king.

[ChanceKJ]

in my eyes, there are two types of people that "Poo Poo" the Pi:

1. Purists, but they spend their money on PCB's and NOS parts anyways... so who cares.
2. People who want to run the newest, high end, crazy games.

Yots' is right, i foresee these SBC's like the Pi becoming an eventual replacement for PCB's and the eventual creep of new members into the hobby. Hell, one of the main reasons i got into this is because i had a MacMini sitting in my office collecting dust. Just a simple computer.

("Poo Poo" the Pi. Can we make that a thing? haha, its funny)

[Slippyblade]

Considering that lower end R-Pi's can be had for $15-$20, I see no reason not to use them in dedicated cabs.  Dirt cheap.  Free OS that auto boots into a single ROM, what's not to like?

[yotsuya]

Although a "Complete Pi Kit" is intriguing, I wonder who's going to provide all the techical support.

[ChanceKJ]

Point them at RetroPi and the Pi Foundation websites. Include YouTube videos on the product pages. Make the customer buying decision as easy as possible and watch the money flow in.

[a1pharm]

Think about it, if i could get a Pi (any pi, a,b,2) a power cord, an SD card (even preloaded with RetroPi), a cool "Arcade themed/practical" Pi case (with mounting holes of some kind), and get all my buttons and sticks, and save on shipping/wait time, i'd be set.

In the world of retail the basket attach is king.

Brilliant!

 

[ark_ader]

There should be an ARM/Atom forum, so we can look at these devices for single play games and projects.

[DaOld Man]

Well it looks like this forum is wanted, judging from the poll.
How about calling it Microcomputers, covering a very wide range of stuff.

[saint]

OK - do we want/need a mod for the forum (not a global mod) or leave it with just global moderators? (If a mod, who?)

[yotsuya]

Global Mod. Lord knows we need more mods.

[Generic Eric]

OK - do we want/need a mod for the forum (not a global mod) or leave it with just global moderators? (If a mod, who?)

Da Old Man naturally.  It was his vision after all, that led to this thread.

[DaOld Man]

Da Old Man naturally.

I don't mind doing it, unless someone else would rather.

[Admiral688]

OK - do we want/need a mod for the forum (not a global mod) or leave it with just global moderators? (If a mod, who?)

Da Old Man naturally.  It was his vision after all, that led to this thread.

I second the nomination!

Would volunteer to help mod, but have a job change and some pi projects in the hopper to deal with short term.

[DaOld Man]

Well I don't mind modding, but it must be known that I am in no means a Pi expert. I just bought my very first one a month ago, so I am a newbie to say the most.
So it's going to take everyone helping out, because I probably have as many questions as the next newbie.

[ChanceKJ]

Well, do you REALLLLY need to know anything at all to be a Mod?? 

(I keeed' I keeed')

[Generic Eric]

No one expects you to the Oracle.

[Admiral688]

Well I don't mind modding, but it must be known that I am in no means a Pi expert. I just bought my very first one a month ago, so I am a newbie to say the most.
So it's going to take everyone helping out, because I probably have as many questions as the next newbie.

I think we are all on the same learning curve boat DOM. I'll be happy to share my experience in this....

Ill be trying 4 projects with my setup:
Mame setup (of course :-)
Car computer
Remote eye chart
Network test / validation device

[saint]

The role of the mod isn't so much to be an expert in the field as it is to keep the subforum on topic and really primarily to let us know to start with what topics from other forums should be moved to the new forum.

Will get this setup this weekend. Someone want to come up with a brief description for the board listing please?

[Generic Eric]

"μcomputer & Hardware Forum:

Does a  μcomputer drive your project?  Post your rasPi, beaglebone, arduino arcade projects here!" 


I was looking for a description, but maybe since I changed my theme its hidden?  *shrug*

Thats what I was thinking at least. 

[ChanceKJ]

How about: "Pi & μComputer Hardware"

I have this feeling of we don't call out RPi front and center it will still be the same amount of work for the mods in the current forums we have.  I think it's important for the amount of laymen that Pi attract we be very specific with this.

[Generic Eric]

How about: "Pi & μComputer Hardware"

I have this feeling of we don't call out RPi front and center it will still be the same amount of work for the mods in the current forums we have.  I think it's important for the amount of laymen that Pi attract we be very specific with this.

Your logic is sound.


What do you think of this idea?  Will it be appropriate to discuss projects based on NUCs and mini itx?  Or is this only a place for *nix derivatives and devboard projects?

[ChanceKJ]

I feel this should be a PI/Beagle Bone/Edison type thing.

NUC's are the end spectrum of the PC size, same with MacMini. It's a blurry line fore sure.

[Generic Eric]

Dev boards it is then!

Happy to see this is a thing.

[ChanceKJ]

How about "Raspberry Pi & Dev Board". Something just seems so "off brand" by saying "Micro computer".

[Generic Eric]

How about "Raspberry Pi & Dev Board". Something just seems so "off brand" by saying "Micro computer".

Because "μ" gives it that something extra

Would you have gumstick devices such as this:

in this forum?

[ChanceKJ]

How many people call it "Micro" torrent vs "U" Torrent?  Maybe it's a regional dialect thing, but I've never really see the term microcomputer/μComputer used. Dev board yes, (maybe I just watch too much Ben Heck?)

I mean if they become popular for the hobby, it's not like we can't amend it in time? Right? But for now I'd say we focus it on the post relevant terms from a popularity standpoint, hence my thought of "Raspberry Pi & Dev Board"

[Generic Eric]

How many people call it "Micro" torrent vs "U" Torrent?  Maybe it's a regional dialect thing, but I've never really see the term microcomputer/μComputer used. Dev board yes, (maybe I just watch too much Ben Heck?)

I mean if they become popular for the hobby, it's not like we can't amend it in time? Right? But for now I'd say we focus it on the post relevant terms from a popularity standpoint, hence my thought of "Raspberry Pi & Dev Board"

Point taken. 

I've no counter at this point. 

Ok, so we'll need a stickied FAQ at the top.
It would be cool to have  "I have a rPi" and  "I have a arduino uno" threads.  It would also be neat to have a "I completed a project" styled thread.

[ChanceKJ]

  Agreed.

I wouldn't mind seeing a step by step guide sticky, and an RPi Resource Link sticky as well. Kinda make it easy for people to find relevant info fast.  We can also add the video i posted a couple weeks back:

[DaOld Man]

Sounds like this forum is getting a good start even before it is born.
I feel it will be a great resource for all of us and may even attract some new people into the home arcade hobby.

[Admiral688]

I would have went with "Pi in your face"

[ChanceKJ]

Sounds like this forum is getting a good start even before it is born.
I feel it will be a great resource for all of us and may even attract some new people into the home arcade hobby.

Agreed.

And with that I would also like to share a feeling...

[DaOld Man]

You guys really know how to hurt an old mans feelings.   

LOL

[saint]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/board,57.0.html