General computer hardware talk?

Zucca · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 10:02 pm Post subject: General computer hardware talk?

A lot of times I find myself trying to find a proper subforums to discuss about computer hardware.
Is it ok to ask general (not neccessarily Gentoo related) hardware questions on "Kernel & Hardware" -subforum?

If the topic is just general computer hardware talk, then only place would be OTW.
But as the current state of OTW is what it is, a wild jungle, the actual questions about hardware may just sink to the bottom or be fully or partly invaded by trolled answers. Note that I'm NOT blaming the people for "trollish" comments, it's OTW after all. ;) Asking general hardware questions on OTW may also be bit more problematic because OTW posts don't show up when looking at "Posts from 24h" or "Unanswered topics". Although it's a minor thing, I think.

Am I asking too much if I ask for some kind of computer hardware discussion subforum as another off-topic subforum (in addition to OTW)?
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1clue · Advocate Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 2569

+1.

I have on occasion wanted to post questions or comments about some particular computing hardware. This forum has more Linux-specific hardware experience than any other I follow, and more knowledge of how systems work in general.

Dropping this sort of discussion in OTW is painful.

The Doctor · Moderator Joined: 27 Jul 2010 Posts: 2678

Since general hardware can be useful to Gentoo users and OTW is rough I think Kernel & Hardware is appropriate, or at the very least tolerable. Of course, Window specific material need not apply.

EDIT: Just to clarify this is my opinion. Others higher up may disagree.
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Ant P. · Watchman Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 6920

My opinion is anything like that is fine as long as it doesn't blatantly sound like some kind of homework question from a win32 user. (they deserve otw)

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

I think as surprising as it might be, Gentoo Chat would be more a better place.

Why?
if you want "purely" speak about hardware, your motivation is "speaking" ; you don't generally really wish speak about the interaction of the hardware with gentoo, that is resume with the kernel, but if you want speak about an ethernet card and its driver or configuration, for sure kernel & hardware is just the right place.

but i don't think you have this way in mind no?
if you want speak about tweaking, repairing hardware, then it would more be an open discussion rather than seeking an answer to some drivers problem. Of course it will like always be related to gentoo, as all hardware may be use with gentoo (except if you start speaking about some unsupport arch)

Got it?
I have brought that wifi pci card:
* what driver to use -> kernel & hardware
* omg, can't believe how cheap the antenna in this model are! signal is lost when i move my hand in front of it! -> gentoo chat
* i have brought a 2TB usb hdd from ZeChina company, and i couldn't write only few megs on it! I have open it and see it's an 128MB usb key with an hack firmware announcing 2TB space to the os! -> gentoo chat

As everyone is already using kernel&hardware for drivers/config issue, i think what you are asking is a place to "chat" about some aspects of that hardware instead. And a place like Gentoo chat (that finally isn't that so noisy), that is suppose to get noise ("noise" as less useful directly, if someone seek answer to a problem, he should better look inside kernel&hardware than gentoo chat) could be the right place for, well, chatting

steveL · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:44 am Post subject:

1clue · Advocate Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 2569

My understanding is that Kernel and Hardware is a support request.

I have on several occasions wanted to go shopping for some specific item which would be used in an enterprise scenario, and just wanted to talk about the mechanics of how it gets used, and what works best.

K&H would be what I would be inclined to use, but maybe it would be better if there were a non-support subforum which would be a "normal rules" discussion area, not an "OTW rules" discussion.

OTW can be fun, if you're bored stiff and need to exchange snarky comments at everyone.

John R. Graham · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 5:21 pm Post subject:

Several of the Moderators have also seen the need for a kinder, gentler place to put things that technically don't fit anywhere but OTW. Stay tuned for an announcement, hopefully soon. :wink:

- John
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Zucca · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:02 pm Post subject:

Oh boy!

I hope I can mark this topic as [solved] soon. :)
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krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

John R. Graham · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:13 pm Post subject:

Added a poll to this thread. I'm not sure whether the new sub-forum would be predominantly support or predominantly chat and I don't really think there will be enough volume to justify two new sub-forums. What do you all think?

- John
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Zucca · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 11:36 pm Post subject:

Chat. I think most of the support questions will turn out to be "seeking for advice" kind of questions. Like "I'm looking a motherboard for my server..."
Also chat kinda includes support too... ;)
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1clue · Advocate Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 2569

It's hard for me to answer that.

For the type of threads I'm thinking about, I want advice from someone who knows about the subject, but it's not necessarily anything having to do with Gentoo. So to say it's support might be a bit of a reach, but likewise saying it's chat is a bit of a reach in the other direction.

Tony0945 · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 3:24 pm Post subject:

I voted mostly support, but I'm thinking about "Hey, my hardware doesn't work" or "my hardware works but it's flaky". Driver problems/questions belong in "kernel & hardware". For instance, my usb connecting to my APC Back-UPS UPS keeps dropping out. Where would that go.
OTOH, the long thread I started aboyt Zen before it was launched would clearly belong to this new category.

roki942 · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2018 8:10 pm Post subject:

Having just assembled my 1st desktop since 2006 I think this would be a great use. My biggest worry when I started was UEFI because of all the horror stories but I'm happy to say the Gentoo Handbook and wiki got me through it.

I'm amazed by by all the new tech and the quality of the new case I got really wow'ed me!

I assembled mine from some deals I got during the last year and black Friday / holiday sales and I really lucked outed as they all seem to be working smoothly together.

I also got a Nikon DSLR and I'm looking forward to digitally doing the darkroom work and printing I was doing with an OM1 in the 70's and this would be a great way of exploring new options.

szatox · Advocate Joined: 27 Aug 2013 Posts: 3445

Considering that we already have a support forum (kernel an hardware), I expect the new one to fall into "chat" category.
Ideas, general questions, interesting devices, what to buy, do you have any experience etc.
"My device is not detected" already has its place.

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

steveL · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:57 pm Post subject:

khayyam · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:29 pm Post subject:

szatox · Advocate Joined: 27 Aug 2013 Posts: 3445

1clue · Advocate Joined: 05 Feb 2006 Posts: 2569

Zucca · Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:57 pm Post subject:

khayyam · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 12:57 pm Post subject:

Tony0945 · Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 1:45 pm Post subject:

pjp · Administrator Joined: 16 Apr 2002 Posts: 20485

Bullied into retraction.
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