The new Computer Science forum, I don't think it works

[Coin]

I don't remember when exactly we made the change, but when I look at the last 15 threads in the Computer Science forum I see exactly one of them is about anything you could reasonably call "computer science". Besides this one computer science thread, one is a programming thread and one is a math and science software thread. The rest are about general computing topics, things like how do I get my video card or joystick to work.

I think that having a "Computer Science" forum which is not actually about computer science is worse than having no computer science forum at all. If there is no computer science forum people with real computer science questions will probably just post them in "programming" or the sets/logic math forum-- but personally I would find the situation of there being a CS forum where no actual CS discussion seems to be taking place as a discouragement to posting anything on the subject at all.

I think it is too bad "programming" is not a top-level forum anymore, but I'm sure you all have your reasons. So if this is the way we are going to do things I think you should name the top-level, not-really-CS forum just "Computer discussion" or something.

 

[robphy]

I don't remember when exactly we made the change, but when I look at the last 15 threads in the Computer Science forum I see exactly one of them is about anything you could reasonably call "computer science".

I agree.
I was hoping for find more [real] "computer science" discussions there.
From what is there now, "computers and technology" (or something similar) seems more appropriate.

(I also recall hearing a CS professor say that "computer programming" is not the same thing as "computer science".)

 

[Coin]

Do you think it would make sense to use the "Computers and Technology" for the top level forum title (as robphy suggests) and once the "Technology" subforum is no longer necessary, use the freed slot for a "Theoretical CS" subforum? I don't know if there would be enough pure-CS discussion to justify such a thing, but it does not seem like the Technology subforum (the Technology forum did exist before the forum rearrangement, right?) is seeing much use at all.

 

[robphy]

a "Theoretical CS" subforum? I don't know if there would be enough pure-CS discussion to justify such a thing

With the academic year starting up all over the place [in the US],
I could envision pure-CS discussions [probably including homework questions that might be moved to the HW forum.].

 

[mgb_phys]

I also recall hearing a CS professor say that "computer programming" is not the same thing as "computer science".

Or dykstra's quote about computer science being about computers in the sae eway that astronomy is about telescopes.

Most of the theoretical CS questions would go in either maths or are interview question type brain-teasers.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

It's early, we'll think about making another change if needed in a couple months.