After reading the previous posts, I realise there may be a fundamental problem here. But before I say anything on that, let me address a few concerns.
Firstly, The suggestion may not have been very clearly expounded in my previous post. I do not wish to eliminate the general section at all. Sometimes people will have logic related questions that may require the solution in to be in Algorithm format, before they can decide how they are going to implement it in a specific language.
For example, someone may post asking how they could have a program that accepts input from either of two devices. Someone may respond by typing the following in the general section:
Algorithm
While user doesn't choose to exit
Read Input From Windows
If input type is Mouse
processMouseInput
else
processKeyboardInput
Loop
Then the person who now has an idea of how to implement this thing, can ask a more specific question in the language specific section of the board. For example, they might ask "How do you get any kind of input for a console window in C++?" and someone might respond with the following:
#include <windows.h>
int main( void )
{
HANDLE hStdin;
INPUT_RECORD ir;
ULONG num;
hStdin = GetStdHandle( STD_INPUT_HANDLE );
ReadConsoleInput( hStdin, &ir, 1, &num ) )
return 0;
}
in the C++ programming forum. See that? That way, the technicalities of the actual programming implementation are limited to the language specific forums. But the general ideas, algorithms, etc. stay in the GENERAL forum. I believe this was CKnight's primary concern. I'm glad that Chris made it clear to everyone that was not the intention. It's as if Chris was reading my mind. ;D (I guess great minds DO think alike!)
Secondly, the fundamental problem here may be that it would appear as if there simply just aren't many programming saavy members. (please correct me if I'm wrong about this. I've yet to meet everyone) therefore, there is a slightly lesser tendency to even want a segregation in the first place. This is fine and I can fully understand that. If there aren't many people who like programming on the site, then segregation is pointless.
However, the original post was regarding the issue that no one is programming. The reason why someone originally posted the question is no one programming? must have obviously been because the pogramming forum is probably in a state of listless despondency! It is quite simple logic, isn't it? If that were the case, that leads us back to square one - HOW DO WE MAKE THIS FORUM MORE INTERESTING? I hope I'm not confusing anyone here.
Think about this: Whenever a business realises that it is not growing, what does it do? It engages in CORPORATE RESTRUCTURING. The business process rules are modified, the mission statement is modified, and the role of the company becomes more complex, taking on newer functions and expanding its viability and diversity. That's how Microsoft grew from just selling software to becoming an Industry giant in almost every field of computing. The same can be said of DELL, COMPAQ, AOL etc etc.... I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this.
Let me wrap up as this post is becoming too long...
Perhaps a better question to ask is Do we want this programming forum to do more than just be another general forum with a different topic?
I'll leave you folks with that to, as a good friend of mine once said, "contemplate, and comtemplate well my friends". Peace.
- Xenocrates