Topic: Proposed new subforum for Custom Hardware (Read 1358 times)

Since a new structure is needed, I would like to point out one detail. In my opinion it doesn't make sense to keep the Custom Hardware section buried down under Mining -> Hardware. It is probably the only section relevant for those wishing to purchase mining hardware and it isn't even visible from the front page. Shouldn't the main "Hardware" section become a "Custom Hardware" section?

Yes, that's precisely why I suggested it. The titles may be different from my suggested ones, but a solution along those lines seems IMO to be the best compromise.

Yes this is why if I understand it right there would be a non-specific vendor section: "Vendor Customer Discussion".

Surely most of you have been around long enough on these forums to know how reluctant the forum mods are to do anything that might be construed as supporting a manufacturer? Either you feel obliged to argue that point yet again that's been done to death, or you try and find them a solution that accepts it.

Yes. Let get back to interesting reading about hardware instead of stupid sockpuppet war.

I don't see why it should be hard to separate threads based on products that exist vs products that do not exist. Mods are already able to tell GPUs from ASICs and FPGAs. It shouldn't be too hard to observe that a trusted third party verified a product actually exists and is no longer mere speculation.

I think the forums should be separated based on the sort of discussions likely to take place in them, not necessarily by vendor or hardware type.

Forum 1) For not yet real products and absolute vaporware products and any scams from vendors can coexist in the same forum since any discussion would be speculative and not grounded in observable facts. KNC products, BFL Monarch, CoinTerra product line, etc belong here.

Forum 2)  Products that are shipping (vendors can afford to ship one unit through a trusted escrow for verification) can have their own forum. This is where conversations are limited by verifiable facts and the laws of physics. There is little room for speculation and thus little room for argument. Avalon, ASICMiner, BFL Jalapeno/Single/Minirig, Bitfury, etc belong here.

Forum 3) DIY/FOSS community projects really need their own forum, separate from vendor specific hardware. With a little peace and quiet, they can accomplish great things!

Forum 4) A forum for customer relations & vendor discussions. Need a refund, lost a shipment, vendor is late, vendor is great, etc. This is going to be more of a review style board (a la YELP) where the content is mostly opinion based and subjective. "Vendor was nice to me" threads, lawsuit threads, "I got my order" threads, "I want a refund" threads, belong here.

It has nothing to do about hiding the truth. If there is a forum named "Customer Vendor Discussion" and someone orders a product from a company before looking in that forum, then whose fault is it really?

The main issue is that it clutters the subforum, and because the quantity of the threads created about Manufacturers it deserves its own subforum.

For someone that has been reading (and sometimes participating in) Anti-BFL threads for almost a year now... I know BFL are scumbags and scammers. I don't need to be reminded of it by every other thread in the custom hardware subforum created to tell people of this. It's not only BFL either, Avalon's opposition is growing and I'm sure there will be others (one or more of the newer companies)... there is no end to it.

 I might suggest refining this a bit further as "Custom Hardware Development and Announcements" and "Custom Hardware Meta and Community"; I feel "Vendor Customer Discussion" is too narrow to be genuinely useful.

How about when they (BFL and co) sort there shit out you won't see as many people on here making threads, Until then, Stop trying hide the truth from perspective VICTIMS!

Sorry to be blunt but thats how it is and it is what it is!

Thanks. I think my approach keeps it simple, minimises the workload for the mods in terms of constantly moving threads around, allows discussion as well as complaints to be aired, and separates out the true development/progress discussion entirely. There is no way the forum will, or for that matter should, dedicate a subforum to any one manufacturer. Validating what is real from what is going to be real from what is vapour and what is scam is not the job of the forum mods.

Perhaps Custom Hardware Development can be designated for BFL, Avalon, CoinTerra, etc. aka anything that is still vaporware and Custom Hardware can be for actual in hand products. Just a thought...The constant BFL threads are really annoying and its usually the same ~5 people doing it so I think we could all benefit from a little more subdivision.

RE: ASIC vendor (Avalon, BFL, etc..) hate/smear/scam/delay/lawsuit/"BFL cut their toenails" threads.

I think ckolivas' said it best:

Thread this topic stemmed from (currently stickied in Custom Hardware): https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/do-we-want-to-continue-to-allow-various-vendor-hate-in-here-281307

Except, I suggest leaving Custom Hardware for general custom hardware discussion that's not vendor specific and not having to do with development.

So.. it'd be like:
Custom Hardware
Custom Hardware Development
Vendor Customer Discussion