Proposition for a new forum section

[chrisname]

Noticing the running theme of creating "try my new program" threads in the Lounge (which I actually think I may have started), I thought it would be a good idea to have a "Programs" section of the forum. I, for one, would love to see what programs other people have created, and to try them out, and I'd also like to post some of my programs.

In my mind, the "New Thread" form would look like this:

Title: - Name of the program
Download link: - URL that the program can be downloaded from
Source code link (optional): - Link to the source code
Description: - description of the program & what it does, other information
License (optional): - brief description of/name of/link to the program's license

Example:

Title: Hello World
Download link: http://www.example.com/helloworld
Source code link (optional): http://www.example.com/helloworld (source code included)
Description: Displays the text "Hello, world!" and then exits
License (optional): Public domain

What say ye?

Votes:

+-----+------+---------+
| Yea | Nay  | Abstain |
+-----+------+---------+
| 03  | 00   | 01      |
+-----+------+---------+

[Return 0]

Isn't that the purpose of the Sourcecode section.... which hasn't been touched in years... I don't think we can upload to it either.

[chrisname]

The purpose of the Source-code section is for example programs to be uploaded to, with source code, for teaching people how to do stuff. Also, as you say, we can't upload to it and it hasn't been changed in ages. To put programs on it, you have to e-mail Twicker; whereas the Programs section would be somewhere where anyone can post a program whenever they want to. Obviously downloads are "at your own risk". Also, "Source-code" implies that source-code must be included, whereas with the Programs section I'm suggesting, programs could be closed-source if desired.

[filipe]

I say aye. Sounds pretty useful.

[hamsterman]

sounds nice

[Bazzy]

Source code link (optional): - Link to the source code
[...]
Also, "Source-code" implies that source-code must be included, whereas with the Programs section I'm suggesting, programs could be closed-source if desired.

I guess that the source code is the only relevant thing in a programming forum
( and who would ever download and run a binary program posted randomly on a forum? )

I don't see the need of a new forum section since such threads don't come up really often

The sourcecode section of this website is the worse part of cplusplus.com, I think it should be removed or updated

[chrisname]

Bazzy wrote:

I don't see the need of a new forum section since such threads don't come up really often

Don't you think more people would post links to their programs if there was a section for it? As for the source-code being optional, you have a point there, since I was thinking that people would reply to program-threads with suggestions, modifications, etc. So I guess a FOSS/PD license would be necessary. I would definitely trust some members (including yourself) to post binary-only links though.

[Bazzy]

You can still get the copyright of your code even if you public it.
And anyway, as I said this is a programming forum so it would be inappropriate posting binary-only programs.

[chrisname]

What I meant was that instead of making source code provision optional, it should be necessary since binary-only downloads are not trustworthy or useful.