Forum for posting User Created Codes?

[Emperor_Xyn]

I think it would be a good idea if this forum created a forum section entirely for users posting codes they created...
Like I don't exactly mean high end codes, just simple games, simple stuff that users can find a variety of codes to help them improve and understand.
What do you guys think?
And I know theirs that user created code help sections, but thats more for help with a code that is already incorrect.
Sorry if you already have it, I also see you have the tutorial section, but honestly a project would fall into multiple of them... lol.
And if you got it, make it more visible I wish I would of known sooner.

[ChristopherLowe]

I don't know if it would work. How would you organize threads? By contributor? By project name? What happens when if more than one person works on the same project? What happens when code is updated? What happens when code is forked?

No, I don't think forums are an appropriate place for user submitted code. We have Java code snippets and tutorials for people who want to share useful titbits and the wonderful moderators are quick to upgrade high quality user content to Articles where appropriate.

If you are looking for somewhere to share your code and get involved with other peoples code then I highly recommend BitBucket. It's free, easy and social.

[Emperor_Xyn]

People would name the thread whatever they want... Threads that are useless would naturally sink the the last of the pages... What's wrong with the same project? It gives two perspective to the same way of doing things, i've found the difference in two different peoples way of doing things to be helpful in choosing the direction I go..

Threads wouldn't be too hard to organize the mod can edit the details as he wants or post the thread link in a main post of all projects JPF has done.

I think its something they should do. And yes their are sites you can get codes at but the help isn't really their when you really need it if that make sence.

Like if you have a question about a certain code, you can post it in that codes topic and get help from the creator or other members on why something is what it's.

[ChristopherLowe]

What's wrong with the same project? It gives two perspective to the same way of doing things, i've found the difference in two different peoples way of doing things to be helpful in choosing the direction I go..

No I don't mean two people working on identical projects. I mean two people or more people working on the same project. Look, my argument revolves around version control. It would be very difficult to maintain a project with a forum as the medium. Forums are a great place for community discussion, debate, analysis and questions but they are not designed for project management. We have other tools for this.

Like if you have a question about a certain code, you can post it in that codes topic and get help from the creator or other members on why something is what it's.

We already have a chronic case of over posting code in this forum. Users asking a specific question about why their code doesn't work and dumping the entire project into the post. It seems every third post is a moderator asking a new member to follow SSCCE. I doubt they would want to encourage posting entire projects.

As an example of how the forum would function, check out Lets build tic-tac-toe (naughts and crosses) together. Two separate moderators warned of the futility of the effort but we carried on anyway. Less than a month later: the original poster is AWOL, two people decided f**k it i will do it my own and the thread digressed into an off topic debate about coding philosophy.

[Mr.777]

I think it would be a good idea if this forum created a forum section entirely for users posting codes they created...
Like I don't exactly mean high end codes, just simple games, simple stuff that users can find a variety of codes to help them improve and understand.
What do you guys think?
And I know theirs that user created code help sections, but thats more for help with a code that is already incorrect.
Sorry if you already have it, I also see you have the tutorial section, but honestly a project would fall into multiple of them... lol.
And if you got it, make it more visible I wish I would of known sooner.

That's what bolgs and articles are for. If you don't want to share it as a tutorial, share it as a blog or article. Someone might be look into one of your posted topic and ask for help. But having a separate thread is not a good option for this.

[Emperor_Xyn]

Like you said to Christopher you need to be VIP to post blogs, i'm not asking for VIP, i'm not saying I wouldn't attempt to help people by creating blogs, but i'm still a while away from being MVP.

But since my understanding of Java probably isn't the greatest, i've worked on manyyy small projects using different API's in simple form which I think would be more easy to understand than most of the codes posted on the net in a whole.

But, what do you mean two or more people working on the same project?? I mean people creating posts on already completed codes. I don't mean projects to be made by multiple people if I understand you. And if it's multiple people on a project they would just post the completed code. But not sure I still understand you but i'm interested in what you mean. Please explain =)

[Mr.777]

But since my understanding of Java probably isn't the greatest, i've worked on manyyy small projects using different API's in simple form which I think would be more easy to understand than most of the codes posted on the net in a whole.

If you really think, your code is easy to understand, why don't you post it in Tutorials Section of the Forums so that users seeking help could get help?

[ChristopherLowe]

But, what do you mean two or more people working on the same project?? I mean people creating posts on already completed codes. I don't mean projects to be made by multiple people if I understand you. And if it's multiple people on a project they would just post the completed code. But not sure I still understand you but i'm interested in what you mean. Please explain =)

Well, trivial applications can be made by a single programmer in a few hours/days/weeks and they can potentially reach the point where they can be considered 'complete'. Non-trivial programs generally require multiple programmers and almost never reach the point where they do not change. They require updates, bug fixes and extra features as the user base grows.

This is why we use version control software. Once you reach the point that you require GIT/Mercurial/SVN to manage your software development you will understand better. At such a time, you will even wonder how you ever managed without it. I cannot remember the last time I wrote even a trivial program without version control. It just* feels* wrong*.

Here is a typical development cycle for a really simple program (for me at least).

• I have an idea for a program. I jot down a few ideas/algorithms on pen and paper and decide on a name.
• I begin coding, whenever I reach a milestone, finish a tricky class or even stop working for the day I commit the changes to my repository along with a message telling my future self what I did on that day.
• Sometimes I realize I have made a mistake in my design or have a fresh perspective on a problem I have already solved. VCS allows be to rewind the clock and back track to a previous commit.
• Sometimes I want to take a different approach, or have an idea which is satellite to the original programs specifications. VCS allows me to branch my current project so I can work on multiple instances of the same project without disturbing the existing code base.
• Often I will be working at a different workstation (say at Uni). No problems, I just clone my repository work away and commit when I am done. No need to worry about having to keep the two workstations at the same level - VCS handles it for me.
• After a while I am happy with the program and I release an executable on my website along with a link to my source (if it is open source).
• Later on I find bugs, want to include extra features or find a better way of doing something. I simply rinse and repeat the above steps and release a new version to my website. If I am REALLY lucky I might even have one of my users contact me with such things.
• Infrequently, someone else down the track takes interest in my program and decides to do some work on it. All they need to do is clone my repository and work away. Since it is open source they are required to make there changes available so I can come along and include any changes they made in my original (again magic VCS can handle this for me).
• If I am really happy with there work I might ask them to join my project. They can pull/push to my repository and we will both have immediate access to the latest source. In fact, we can both be working on the same code at the same time and VCS will inform us if there a conflict in the changes we have made. The commit messages will give each of us a clue as to what the other is working on and the delta tells us exactly what changes have been made so nobody is out of the loop, ever.

Now bare in mind that this is for a TRIVIAL program, one which will not make me any money and barely gain any exposure. Imagine how complicated the development cycle can get if the project were substantial.

As you can see, forums do not allow any of this to occur. As I said before, forums are great for certain things; project management is not one of them.

Anyway, I have written a lot more than I intended to on this subject so I am going to shut up now. Hopefully this explains why I feel forums are not an appropriate medium for this kind of thing.

[JavaPF]

If you really think, your code is easy to understand, why don't you post it in Tutorials Section of the Forums so that users seeking help could get help?

I agree. At the moment, the tutorials forum is the best place for code snippets.
If you think you have some good code in an area which hasn't already been covered, feel free to post it there.