"general" forums

[Vectronix]

Why is there a "General" forum under each heading? Shouldn't one be able to pick and choose where their post fits best? Or is it sort of a way of avoiding crossposting? I guess I am trying to understand the purpose of general forums when the variety of specific topics seem to be all inclusive.

[Greg Bernhardt]

Half relics of old forum structures and half a catch-all.

[DaveC426913]

...the purpose of general forums when the variety of specific topics seem to be all inclusive.
How could any group of specific topics be all-inclusive?

[Vectronix]

easy :)

[DaveC426913]

easy :)
Name one.

OK, granted, technically "Organic Chemistry" and "Inorganic Chemistry" is all inclusive. But what if your question is about, say, valences? How could you appropriately assign your post to one of the given topics?

[Vectronix]

heh... Sorry about the vague response. I was too tired to explain, so I went to sleep. :)

Well, an example of when you look under the Physics heading, there is Classical Physics, Quantum Physics, Relativity, and Beyond the Standard Model: Professionally Researched Theories. Classical Physics is a very broad category. Quantum Physics includes both quantum mechanics and quantum field theories. Relativity includes both special and general theories. There isn't much that would fit outside of these headings... but wait! :) There is a section for professionally researched theories that go beyond the standard model. So that should cover all topics (in physics). The rest is not allowed to be discussed on these forums (free energy, pseudoscience, metaphysics, etc.).

I'm not really trying to get them to delete the general forums, as it doesn't really matter to me. I was just wondering why it's there in the first place. I guess the general math forum makes sense, since none of the others under the math heading really include arithmetic, algebra, & analytic geometry, etc.

[DaveC426913]

Well, an example of when you look under the Physics heading, there is Classical Physics, Quantum Physics, Relativity, and Beyond the Standard Model: Professionally Researched Theories. Classical Physics is a very broad category. Quantum Physics includes both quantum mechanics and quantum field theories. Relativity includes both special and general theories. There isn't much that would fit outside of these headings... but wait! :) There is a section for professionally researched theories that go beyond the standard model. So that should cover all topics (in physics). The rest is not allowed to be discussed on these forums (free energy, pseudoscience, metaphysics, etc.).

Where might you put a question about the history of physics, or famous physicists?


Alternately, if this were a "WE LOVE NUMBERS" Forum, and there were two categories "ALL NUMBERS GREATER THAN 10" and "ALL NUMBERS 10 OR LESS" (thus the categories are all-inclusive) where might I post a question about fractions?

[Vectronix]

I see.

:)