web dev and design forum, issues?

[jng]

Is it just me or has it been boring in there lately? I mean there are like no real threads with substance in there, just lots of newbie questions and problems (which is fine) and the same old stuff.

I feel like more used to happen there. What can we do to spice it up?

Also, I noticed that there's lots of requests for reviews there and there's one right now and I don't want to add red tape. But it's like free PR or spam to just post websites and askf or reviews. But I wonder how many users do that and actually only have 1 or 2 posts.

 

[Doctor Q]

We hope that people asking for reviews really want advice and critiques, and are not simply posting for self-promotion. If you are telling people about your site AND welcoming comments, that's OK. It's only pure advertising that is disallowed. The MacRumors moderators are asked to read minds.

If we run into routine web design issues, we can look for advice in the Web Design and Development forum. Ever try to add left and right padding to a three-column display with fixed-width left and right columns and a variable-width middle column? Don't suffer; ask for help!

It would be nice to see more threads about related technology, like how people are building web apps, using AJAX, scripting, connecting to back-end databases, etc. But it's up to the people who post what they want to share and talk about.

More spice sounds fun. What are the biggest controversies about web design and development these days? Maybe we need a good debate!

 

[saltyzoo]

http://silverlight.net/ OR http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/about/

Discuss....

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Also, I noticed that there's lots of requests for reviews there and there's one right now and I don't want to add red tape. But it's like free PR or spam to just post websites and askf or reviews. But I wonder how many users do that and actually only have 1 or 2 posts.

Requests for reviews are fine, as long as the OP is participating in the thread, and make changes (or say why s/he don't) as comments and suggestions trickle in...

If you see signs of blatant self promoting where the poster obviously just posts to increase his/her hit count, report the post and let us take care of the thread (and poster), after a fair review, of course...

When that is said, it's been kind of quiet in there lately, but I'm to busy at work the last couple of months to take any initiatives (like the one Blue Velvet took in the Design forum a while back to generate some discussion and interest), but hopefully my Real Life workload will normalize soon. When it does, I'm meaning to show the Web design and development forum some extra attention.

For now, though, feel free to start threads on advantages and disadvantages of Ajax, Ruby vs Python, what's new in css3, pure flash sites: design or accessibility, should I use em or px for font sizes, html 4 and soon 5 vs xhtml, why .net for web development is the Devil's work and other suitable topics, and I'm certain we'll manage to get some action going in there...

 

[iGav]

Maybe we need a good debate!

We do.

We also need to include the future direction of the Design and Graphics forum in that discussion too.

I'll be starting a thread to discuss this very subject... imminently.

 

[Doctor Q]

I haven't noticed discussions about Adobe AIR. It's a new technology (made out of old technologies) that might be worth a thread or two.

 

[jng]

Well I've just been noticing more review requests from newbies and I get really annoyed if their postcount is like 2 or just generally in the single digits. That seems to be like promotion/advertising even if they are asking for comments on design. Or like we're being used for feedback. I'd rather that people join the community (because they love macs) and not just use it.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the forum is a little dead though.

Debates sound interesting. But maybe we could also debate design technqiues and stuff too, not just technologies (I hate programming...).