Forum restructure suggestion - puppy version related

[Monson]

Hello all,

prior to my registration, I've been researching as a guest and using puppylinux for about two years now.

I've always had a problem, when looking for an answer to my problem I found solutions that I installed. only to find out that these solutions didn't work.

It always costs me much time searching the forums to then stumble upon the fact, that these solutions do fix problems - but not for my installed version of puppy.

Therefore here is my suggestion:
Restructurization of the forums to reflect the different mainstream or detailed versions to ease finding the correct solution to the installed version causing the problems.

This could look like this:
...
Puppy version 3.0x
Puppy version 4.0x
Puppy version 4.1x
...

The versioning could also be in more detail in an upper forum level, for example:

..
Puppy version 3.01
Puppy version 4.00 ------------ regular release
Puppy version 4.01-devel -------- development release
Puppy version 4.01 ------------ regular release
Puppy version 4.10-devel -------- development release
Puppy version 4.10
Puppy version 4.11-devel
Puppy version 4.11
...

This way, users having problems with a specific version of puppy
can look at their version and post under that version.

And users, willing to install Puppy for the first time can see, which version cause how much problems to decide which version to install in general to start trying puppy, specific to their individual intentions and special uses for Puppy.

For a relative newcomer to puppylinux, even though I use it for a while now, it is quite confusing to me and does hold me back from installing puppy software when reading that package xyz causes problems.

Now, it would be a good thing to know, that the problem xyz relates to puppy version 2.17 and has absolutely nothing to do with my installed puppy version 4.00 at time of my writing.

With a presorting of puppy version related forum posts, research for specific errors related to my puppy version would ease problem and solution finding tremendously.

Of course, I know asking to do so will cause extra work for the forum admins, but it would be a great help.

At the time of writing, as an example, I am researching DVBT support for my local puppy version 4.00, with running into all the previously mentioned pitfalls of downloading and installing software I didn't need, just because it was related to previous preversions before v4.00.

Awaiting your responses,

Monson

[alienjeff]

Excellent idea, Monson; however, easier to imagine than implement. And I hope that the exclusion of the v0.x, v1.x and v2.x series was merely an expedient or innocent oversight.

[Monson]

Well, alienjeff,

first of all, I left out the older versions as I'd have to put effort into researching them first for which I don't have the time left over and
second, to ease things for the admins, maybe they can start this new upperlevel sorting by versions beginning with version 4.0, so that the upper level looks something like:

puppylinux versions pre 4.0.0 or puppylinux versions upto 3.0.1 or puppylinux versions before but not including 4.0.0
...
puppylinux 4.0.0
...
puppylinux 4.1.0
...
puppylinux 4.1.1

with the devel-levels in front of the full release versions.

Or, if even that is too much to work, maybe begin with the very next full version release 4.1.2 in the upper level?
That at least would make it easier for the admins concerning the neccessary work and time effort.

Just a thought, they can even hand this managing task down to someone with more time...

At some time there could be a new beginning with some change in structure, why not start off with beginning of version 4.1.2, because I guess for version 4.1.1 it's too late?

Bye, Monson

[retry3]

It would really help at least beginning with the 4.1.1 retro & regular as there seems to be separate problems depending on the kernel, but I am far from being an expert observer.

[bambuko]

hi Monsoon,
Like yourself I have found the forum and useful advice it contains difficult to search and often of suspect value and/or to be treated with caution (especially if you are the beginner, like myself).
So I have a lot of sympathy for your proposal, but ... if you have been around here for more than few weeks, you should know that (in the words of Barry Kauler himself):
"...Puppy has never been run as a "proper" project, it has always been ad-hoc..."
"...There is the appearance of chaos in many aspects of the project..."
see more here
It seems unlikely to me that your orderly approach would fit with the spirit of Puppy

Far easier, and probably just as useful for searching and sorting the forum would be insistence that Puppy version is mentioned in every thread title?

Anyway, I am just a newb, so what do I know?

Chris

[cthisbear]

"...There is the appearance of chaos in many aspects of the project..."

Are you having a go at me...
cos I likes your style.

" Anyway, I am just a newb, so what do I know? "

Doesn't matter one bit.
The regulars can get caught up in Puppy too much...
They may see a newbies post...
and think yawn yawn moment.

But from many posters there can be a gem of
an idea ...which others may use eventually.

Finding out things here can be frustrating.
I still go about with the idea that I know nothing
but maybe tomorrow I could be a little wiser.

It certainly hasn't happened for me yet, but it may be early days.

The postings that get on my goat are...
questions that do not name computer hardware...software etc;
and then when you do drag any response from them,
and perhaps supply the right answer;
nothing is ever heard again.
Gotta love them.

Yes! it would be great to have some "Restructurization of the forums "
but this all takes the big E for effort, and the time devoted for
all that time and organizational skills usually falls to one or two
people, who are rarely thanked or given any respect for all that
time and the organizational skills needed to achieve these goals.

That's Puppy for you....
but then occasionally because of these faults....
many here try that little bit harder to give the truth....
and nothing but the truth.

Anyway thanks for your request.

Stay with us now that you've announced yourself.

Happy days..................Chris.

[Aitch]

The postings that get on my goat are...
questions that do not name computer hardware...software etc;
and then when you do drag any response from them,
and perhaps supply the right answer;
nothing is ever heard again.
Gotta love them.

2nd that, Chris

@Monson

see the search tips in my thread, here

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=29754

I raised the same suggestion when I first joined, and Pizzasgood replied that since he was the one on who's shoulders it would most probably fall, it would be one of those, 'when I can get around to it' ideas, in the prioritised scheme of things' or words to that effect
Pizzasgood is far and away the most useful Admin/Puppian IMHO

It gets better, as you get used to it - it's all part of the learning experience

However, the latest generation of Puppy do seem to be improving in some areas & worse in others

Wifi/Networking is under major redevelopment continually & Hardware is forever causing update necessity

Aitch

[Eyes-Only]

"2nd that, Chris"

To which Eyes-Only chimes in with:

"I 3rd that!"

And that's all I had to add. Well, other than the fact that Chris (cthisbear) really nailed it on the head with that statement... and that's the way it's been in the nearly 20 some odd years I've been doing this.

Have a great day all!

Amicalement/Cheers!

Eyes-Only
"L'Peau-Rouge"

[bugman]

[Pizzasgood is far and away the most useful Admin/Puppian IMHO

yeah, just wait til HE gets a job and a wife, then where will we be?

[Aitch]

Up sh*t creek, I imagine...

Still, while he's still one of the young 'boys with toys' as opposed to us old goats, I'm truly grateful for his time/energy/curiosity/ideas/enthusiasm, etc, that I try to remind folks are 'key values undervalued' in many teachings, sadly

good luck

Aitch

[Eyes-Only]

LOL bugman! I mis-read that at first. I thought you'd written:

"yeah, just wait til HE gets a job and a wife, then where will SHE be?

LOL! You know what I mean? Used to be on Monday Nights the wives all across America "generally" became known as "Football Widows". But today the poor gals are known typically as "Computer Widows"?

Well... poor Mrs. Eyes-Only is, God bless her pea-pickin' heart for putting up with me and "it"!

I'm a VERY lucky man indeed!

Amicalement/Cheers!

Eyes-Only
"L'Peau-Rouge"

[Pizzasgood]

I think that dividing it like that would actually make it harder to find things. A large amount of information is applicable to all or most versions. I usually just observe the time-stamp on posts to get an idea of how up to date they are. Generally posts about Puppies older than the current one (at that time) will specify which version they deal with, so it works somewhat.

[Monson]

@Monson

see the search tips in my thread, here

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=29754

That was quite helpful, I linked it to my puppy-linklist in my browser.
I have more questions, so I'll try out your tips to find a solution for them.

I raised the same suggestion when I first joined, ...

Well, yes, now that I was one of quite a few who asked and the effort being a little too much to ask for I guess ;-( , because I don't have much time either , I've decided to include my current version of puppy and used architecture in my signature in future postings, that will make it clear: what version I use at time of writing and on what hardware, because I do have more than one PC and architecture.

But, thanks anyway for listening and now, if there may be quite a few other newcomers to the forum, please repost my restructurization posting over time so that our master-admin may push the subject in the priority rating

Bye, Monson

[Aitch]

anyone, including you, can 'get it seen', anytime

just post "bump"

Aitch

[Pizzasgood]

I've decided to include my current version of puppy and used architecture in my signature in future postings, that will make it clear: what version I use at time of writing and on what hardware, because I do have more than one PC and architecture.

I may be reading this wrong, but you are aware that if you update your signature, it will update it on every post you've posted, right? The signature isn't actually combined with the post. The forum just stores it in one place, and then each time somebody views one of your posts it fetches your current signature and displays it.

Also, signatures don't appear in searches. So it's helpful, but still a good idea to specify in the body of the post (or title) what version you're talking about, and any hardware that may influence things.

[Monson]

Well, thanks Pizzasgood for that info, after rereading my posting after having changed the signature revealed that to me today.

So I guess, my idea of posting my current config in my signature changes to a workaround of having a file on my desktop called PuppySignature.txt, where I keep the puppy config up-to-date and paste it in when needed.

Bye, Monson