Let me tease my fellow programmers-correct me if I am wrong

[hoboy]

I have the feeling that before there was lively debate about many programming topics on this forum, well I am talking about 2 years ago, can it be these contributors are settling down with families and children and are busy with other thinks ?.
It is joy to read some of the intellectual debates about programming, and the languages....ok I sound bit nostalgic..nehhhhhh.
Or I am wrong ?

[jadedcritic]

Don't stop on my account. Granted, I'm too green to really contribute, I'm more or less the rankest kind of neophyte with a few versions of "Hello World" under his belt. That said, I do have quite a bit of experience reading things that I don't understand. ](*,)

[jadedcritic]

DELETED - KILLED - Too many clicks on an unresponsive post button - same content got published twice
Sorry folks - still looking for the forum controls to delete

[unknownPoster]

Well, as I'm sure you know, some of the more intelligent/energetic contributors to this subforum have been banned, IE LaRoza, pmasiar, and others. There isn't much we can do to change that. Perhaps it's just that no one has stepped up to fill their shoes.

In addition, perhaps the quality of the posts in this subforum in general have degraded. Several times a day, it seems as if there are a multitude of questions that can all be answered with, "Read the stickies." It also seems as if there are quite a few homework problems.

Personally, I feel it's just the degradation of the posts on UF in general, not just Programming Talk. I've found that there are other more "specialized" communities out there where you can find more lively discussions and debates.

[schauerlich]

It may just be the filter of time. We only remember the good stuff, and forget the rest of the cruft. That's why classic rock sounds better than modern rock... you leave out all the bad stuff when you call it "classic". Now, there have been people who have left such as pmasiar or LaRoza, but there are still other people from that time (CptPicard, nvteighen, etc) who are around. And there are new people like worksofcraft finding themselves in longwinded debates too :). You just have to look out for it.

[worksofcraft]

Well, as I'm sure you know, some of the more intelligent/energetic contributors to this subforum have been banned, IE LaRoza, pmasiar, and others...

Lol, well I wasn't around when they were active, but if they got banned then perhaps that was appropriate :confused:

I think discussions are fine but a bit like arguing religion or which football team is best :shock:

I generally like this forum more for the quality of technical input and the fact it relates mostly to programming on Ubuntu systems ;)

[cprofitt]

I think one of the issues is this area has a range for programmers...

Beginners seeking help

New to Linux and FOSS migratory programmers looking for help

etc

etc

all the way to people who seem to have the knowledge to write an OS.

-----
What would be fantastic is the re-birth of the programming problems... but in oder for them to really work they have to be on a set schedule, made stickies and not a long drawn out program.

[hoboy]

Thanks guy for the explanations.
I am just curious

[lisati]

Yes, I remember some of the debates and discussions. Some of those who have left did so before I joined the staff here. Although I am aware of some of the issues involved, I am not at liberty to disclose them, at the risk of being assimilated into the Borg.

/Me wanders off wondering if this thread can continue in a useful fashion.

[slooksterpsv]

Anymore, I've found some of it to be boring as people won't post their opinions, for fear of starting a war and being banned, but post links to articles explaining this or that.

I miss when people would argue on the forums, get heated debates, it was awesome cause I could never choose a side cause it was neat to see all the different opinions and what not. Now it's we'll here's what I read here, not, well in my experience and opinion this or that. So overall it's Voice and Be Banned, the way I see it anymore.

[schauerlich]

Another thing is, back when LaRoza was around he could add these 'great debates' to the stickies, letting them live forever in glory atop the thread listing. We don't have any mods that have adopted this subforum like that - not that they don't show up on occasion.

[nvteighen]

Meh, I guess some new generation will pop in. There's schauerlich as an example of that :) Ok, I don't we'll ever get the long lnostdal rants again or the overheated slavik vs. pmasiar threads, but I guess times change and other interesting stuff will surely pop in here.

What I do miss was LaRoza's effort to have a FOSS project based primarily on the contribution of members of these forums. It's still up on Launchpad (https://launchpad.net/sysres/) and it's a system restoring utility for Ubuntu. If someone's interested, there it is (I guess you'll also have to address the LP staff to take management over the project...).

[schauerlich]

Meh, I guess some new generation will pop in. There's schauerlich as an example of that :)

I'm flattered, but I'm wrong far too often for my own good. :) Still a padawan...

[CptPicard]

Yeah, I guess it's just nvteighen and me left over from the Good Old Days :) Some of the debate threads were truly epic, and in particular pmasiar taught me a lot... his posts are still worth looking up and reading for those who come behind. Most of my dynamic-typing-language philosophy originally came from him, and my original Lisp exposure from lnostdal.

Anyway, I'm really glad some of you guys enjoyed it as much as I did and still remember it; producing all those posts from all sides was not in vain then. Besides listening to interesting stuff from many cool people, participating made me formulate and articulate my own views on these issues much better than I otherwise would have...