Which topics do really belong into the LED forum? ** Moved **

I think the simple solution is to monitor all of the forums that you have interest in. The moderators are simply trying to help balance out the load here a little.

Let me explain, if you notice, the BBS "homepage" shows how many topics and posts are in the respective forums. Just a few of the forums are getting all of the heavy traffic, so the strategy is to take from the "big bucket" and put into the "small". This will ultimately make for better focused searches and maybe even a little better server response time for you & me.

I've been part of other BBS's that wind up using all kinds of adds & pop-ups. Then come "premium memberships" to avoid the adds. Then, many of the knowledgeable contributors leave the BBS because they don't wan't to put up with the "we're paying customers" whiney-assed attitudes...

So trust me, you can't complain about too much here from what I see.

well...this topic doesn't belong in the led forum =P...

I kind of agree with Rene. If the circuits being discussed relate to LEDs, then I'd like to see those discussions remain in the LED forum.

Ultimately I beleive the moderators are entitled to do as they see best, but feedback from the users can help them make good decisions.

remuen,

I agree with what you said, and I was a little upset at the moving of my thread. I simply think this is being done too often to CPF members.

I can understand if a newbie posts a question about a Krill on the general lighting forum, or a question about a HOLA on the LED forum. The "newbie" might not know where to best place his thread, and might be better served by having it moved to another forum.

But others and I have been here long enough to be well aware of the the various forums. In fact, I've been here longer than most of the "moderators" (just compare member numbers). If I wanted my thread posted on the electronics forum, I would have done so myself, since I've long been aware of that forum, and have posted on it many times myself.

I'm not not trying to be hostile towards the moderators, but I just don't see why there's been such gross emphasis on categorizing threads.

As I am from overseas I do hope I have the fools licence to write what many others don't like to post themselves.

As far as I have learned there are quite a few CPF fellows who are not really happy with what our administrators and moderators are making with the LED forum! Just look what another flashaholic recently has posted: LS heatsink and wiring question

Administrators and moderators, you have already moved many threads over to the electronics forum even they would belong much more to the LEDs. Especially all the DC-DC converter circuits are much closer related to LEDs than eg. glowrings, glow powder or written peals of laughter ....

You don't believe me? Ok, the most mentioned flashlights here in the LED forum are probably the ARC AAA/LE, the ARC LS, the Infinity Task Light and recently also the Lambda Illuminator. They all wouldn't be what they are without a boost converter circuit! And most of the direct driven LS mods make use of a resistor which is just the simpliest version of a buck converter circuit.

As here in the CPF almost all kind of DC-DC converters are used only as LED drivers this topic is not of the same general interest to all CPF members as batteries or battery chargers.

My first question to you as our administrators and moderators:
Why do you move some of the most essential LED related stuff to the electronics forum and let some other and often much less to LEDs related topics stay here in the LED forum?

Some of you won't really like my very personal opinion about this: In some cases I have the bad feeling that it depends much more on a certain moderators personal preferences than on facts wheter a thread will be relegated to another forum or not. As said, this is just my personal feeling about it.

My second question:
Why don't you create a LED mod forum and move all the mod topics together into this forum?

I don't know whether this would be the best solution. But at least it would be much more consequentially than what you are doing now. And it would be much easier to categorize the threads and define some certain and clear rules. But then obviously more than half of the LED forum topics would belong to this LED mod forum.

No-one has expressed any hostility (so far ... )
I think is important for anyone playing a role on CPF to receive feedback.

As one of the moderators in the Café, I can confirm that moderators are human too ... (Gasps of horror all round)

Yes, it's true - just look at moderator darell. He is very human indeed ......

lightlover

*Gasp*

When I got appointed as moderator of "Electronics Forum- Batteries Included" I suggested that it be divided up into two separate forums:

One for electronic circuits and the more technical stuff that now seems to be split between the "LED, Electroluminescent and Lasers" and "Batteries Included".

And the other, just for batteries and battery charger stuff.

Why? Because almost everyone that comes to CPF has an interest in and need for batteries and information on how to get the best performance out of their devices, but only about 1/4 of them really care about the circuits and that kind of stuff, and it is a waste of time for them to have to wade through all the circuit stuff.

I think I have moved only two threads- One was a technical battery question posted in "Buy/Sell/Trade" and the other an offer to sell something that was posted in "Batteries Included". Why they were moved should be obvious.

Personally, I'd like to see LED, Electroluminescent and Lasers broken up into individual forums too, as I don't care much about the lasers , EL, glowrings etc. and hate wasting time wading through them.

Personally, I'd like to see all the electronic circuit stuff like the zetex stuff in the electronics forum, not in LEDS; Because even though they are of use only with LEDs, I'd bet that only about 1/3 of the people who visit LEDS care about building their own SMD circuits, etc.

And I wouldn't mind having a separate forum for LED Mods and a separate forum for Incandescent Mods. Leave the main forums for discussion about commercial lights and that kind of stuff.

The following comments sound kind of harsh, and I don't really mean to offend anyone, but it is past my bed time and I'm not going to rewrite it. If anyone feels that it is a personal attack, it's not meant to be. I'm just kind of tired and crabby".

But you know what?? I don't own the site, and even though I have contributed financially to keep it running (have you?), and spent many hours trying to keep CPF a wonderful place to visit and exchange information.

David W. is the guy who owns it and his decisions are final as far as I'm concerned, and I'm not going to whine if his idea of how to run it is different than mine, or create a public fuss if the moderator of another forum feels that my posts would be better in a different classification.

If you have ideas on how to improve CPF, there is a specific place to post them:
SUGGESTIONS FORUM

And if you have a complaint about the administration of the site, post it -HERE-

And if you think that you can do a better job of moderating a forum and are willing to spend the hours to do it well, ask for the "job". You might be surprised at how much effort goes on behind the scenes to keep CPF such a good resource.

Is this the best place for this thread?
I'll move it to "Questions or problems about this website and forum"

Should there be an LED Mods Forum?
I believe I have the "Power" to create a new forum, although it is a question DavidW should be asked, and for him to decide.

Threads that are about specific details of mods - powersupplies, electronics, whathaveyou, and less about mod-ing specific models have a forum.

We need to make better use of our Cafe.

I have to admit, personally, I'd find the LED Forum a lot more interesting if it didn't have all threads about Mod-ing, and was just about products.

Al

Topic has been moved here: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=26&t=000055&p=

(Also, there is always a link at the very top of every locked and moved thread)